Grants and Contributions:

Title:

Co-digestion of fat, oil, grease (FOG) with municipal wastewater sludge for enhanced biogas production in Okanagan Valley

Agreement Number:

EGP

Agreement Value:

$24,965.00

Agreement Date:

Feb 7, 2018 -

Organization:

Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada

Location:

British Columbia, CA

Reference Number:

GC-2017-Q4-00553

Agreement Type:

Grant

Report Type:

Grants and Contributions

Additional Information:

Grant or Award spanning more than one fiscal year (2017-2018 to 2018-2019).

Recipient's Legal Name:

Eskicioglu, Cigdem (The University of British Columbia)

Program:

Engage Grants for universities

Program Purpose:

In recent years, fat, oil and grease (FOG) discharged from restaurants, commercial kitchens and food servicex000D
providers has become a major organic waste stream in the Okanagan. Historically, the primary method forx000D
disposal of FOG collected from grease traps installed at the point of generation was to discharge directly intox000D
the municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) or at landfills, however many waste treatment utilities arex000D
moving forward with restricting FOG disposal due to negative impacts on operations (e.g. pipe/manholex000D
blockages causing overflows). In some municipalities in the Okanagan, disposal options will soon be limited tox000D
hiring a certified waste hauler from the Metro Vancouver area to collect waste for transport to Vancouver forx000D
anaerobic co-digestion at Annacis Island WWTP. This will increase GHG emissions and impacts on roadx000D
infrastructure for transport (around 800 km round trip). Anaerobic digester is a heated/mixed bioreactor wherex000D
organic waste (substrate) is converted to renewable energy in the form of biogas.x000D
The main objective of this experimental research is to investigate the effect of FOG as a co-substrate inx000D
various configurations of bench-scale anaerobic digesters utilizing wastewater sludge from WWTPs in thex000D
region. The local wastewater utilities have been considering anaerobic digestion (as an alternative to currentx000D
composting process) for biogas generation and improved quality of biosolids for land application as fertilizer. Itx000D
is expected that addition of FOG to wastewater treatment sludge would boost biogas production and increasex000D
cost efficiency. If laboratory scale results indicate a significant advantage over the current sludgex000D
treatment/disposal scenario, the utilities will have the option to incorporate the use of FOG as a co-substrate inx000D
anaerobic digestion and will benefit from an increased biogas production allowing the use of a co-generationx000D
engine to significantly offset the WWTP's energy use. The project will also provide an environmentallyx000D
sustainable method for FOG disposal and will train highly qualified personal in an important/desired field.