Generating our own energy is great news, which made NapaSan engineers wonder: how can we produce even more? It turns out that the answer is grease. Each month, thousands of gallons of fat, oils, and grease are hauled away from local food service facilities.
FOG Receiving Station
Beginning in August 2012, that waste could be hauled to the Soscol Water Recycling Facility where it is pumped directly into the digester from a grease receiving station. The FOG provides high-energy food for the digester bacteria, bumping up gas production that allows NapaSan to produce more electricity.
This increased energy production could cut the district’s annual energy bill by $100,000 to $200,000. Besides that cost savings, NapaSan will generate income by charging a tipping fee to FOG haulers.
The grease receiving station can accept over 200,000 gallons each month. Revenue generated by this service can be used to offset other costs and help keep rates down for sewer customers.
The benefits of this program ripple out beyond NapaSan and its customers. Before NapaSan opened its grease receiving station, haulers had to take FOG loads all the way to Oakland for disposal. A more convenient disposal location in Napa means fewer trucks on the road and reduced carbon dioxide emissions.