An Unusual Approach to Generating Electricity
In early April, Russell Reid was recognized on NBC New York news as one of the leading waste management companies to be generating electricity in truly innovative way. It turns out leftover fat, oil and grease from restaurant food remains may not be so useless after all.
Leftover restaurant waste turns into a layer of scum that eventually goes down the drain and into grease traps. However, there are only a few companies that pump out the grease and then bring it into a wastewater plant to create electricity. At the Joint Meeting of Essex & Union County Wastewater Treatment Plant, the grease goes into a closed digester tank to make a cleaner methane gas. With this process, we are using less oil, less coal and an overall smaller carbon footprint. This methane gas provides three-fourths of the plant’s electricity, saves about one million dollars per year, and simultaneously helps restaurants become more environmentally sustainable.
Check out the video segment below to watch the full clip:
You can also watch the video on NBC NY here.
