ARA: Solving methane slip profitably

To alleviate the problem of methane slip at municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), South Pole has developed a grant program that provides financial support to WWTP operators who implement methane-reducing measures in their operations, according to the organization Infrawatt. Depending on the process, the captured methane could be used for energy, it said. This means potential additional revenue from the sale of gas or electricity.

Gas tight cover    

To reduce methane emissions, process stages of anaerobic sludge treatment must be equipped with a gas-tight cover. In this way, the wastewater treatment plant operator captures the exhaust air streams and the methane is no longer released into the atmosphere. Depending on local conditions, the following measures can be applied to treat the methane-containing waste air streams:

• Use in CHP
• Feeding into the gas storage (e.g. via connection of sludge pile to the digestion plant)
• Destruction in sludge incineration

Compensation per ton of CO2 equivalent reduced 

If an ARA operator participates in the program (see also box), he receives 140 Swiss francs per reduced ton of CO2e until the investment in the cover has been repaid. Thereafter, ARA operators receive 10,000 Swiss francs per year for operation and an additional 25 Swiss francs per ton of CO2e.

A detailed article on the subject with exemplary calculations is to be found in the next Environmental Perspectives Issue to read.  

ARA Program

For those interested in participating in the program to treat methane-containing wastewater treatment plant effluent streams, here is the link to the registration form: https://form.jotform.com/202191917001343

For more information: 

• Clara Baumhauer, c.baumhauer@southpole.com, +41 78 346 33 32
• Hannes Etter, h.etter@southpole.com , +41 43 501 35 50