"Not Waste, but a Vast New Energy Resource"

[handmade34]

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/01/110105121131.htm

"...Elizabeth S. Heidrich and colleagues note that sewage treatment plants in the United States use about 1.5 percent of the nation's electrical energy to treat 12.5 trillion gallons of wastewater a year. Instead of just processing and dumping this water, they suggest that in the future treatment facilities could convert its organic molecules into fuels, transforming their work from an energy drain to an energy source. Based on their research, they estimate that one gallon of wastewater contains enough energy to power a 100-watt light bulb for five minutes..."

[MineralMan]

1. Many wastewater treatment plants have been doing that for

some time. See this link, for one:

http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/2009/jun/22/1n22methane00942-sd-sell-sewage-facilitys-excess-g/?metro&zIndex=120574

A Google search for sewage treatment methane will find lots more. It's not a new concept.

[wiggs]

2. related: diary and cow farms have been converting methane from manure for

a while. seems very smart. Not sure how many american farms are doing it.