Raleigh Residents Help Power City Buses — Literally
Around 70 GoRaleigh buses are set to be fueled by natural gas. Here’s everything you need to know.
Raleigh’s quest to convert wastewater into natural, renewable gas has been six years in the making. On October 15, GoRaleigh, Raleigh Water, and the Office of Sustainability celebrated the culmination of this journey as they collectively announced that the city’s wastewater will now be used to fuel a fleet of GoRaleigh buses. The groups have been working with the Neuse River Resource Recovery Facility to provide the technology needed to turn this dream into a new reality.
Whit Wheeler, Raleigh’s Water Director, said, “This project proves that we don’t have to choose between protecting our planet and operating efficiently. We’re taking something that used to be waste and turning it into clean energy that will fuel our city for years to come.” Neuse River Resource Recovery Facility already treats upwards of 50 million gallons of water per day. This new collaboration is part of Raleigh’s grander Bioenergy Recovery Project, which is hopefully set to decrease greenhouse gas emissions by 80% before 2050.
Now, just by being a Raleigh resident, you’re doing your own small part to help make the city a more environmentally friendly place. Here’s how.
How does the wastewater treatment system work?
According to The News & Observer, the wastewater treatment system is relatively straightforward. The Neuse River Resource Recovery Facility processes sewage and catches the natural gases released from it. The sewage is separated into either a byproduct called biosolids (that then becomes fertilizer) or into water that’s clean enough to run through the facility’s treatment system.
Methane gas, a type of natural gas released from sewage, is cleaned at Neuse River and converted into fuel that will run about 70 GoRaleigh buses. That renewable gas will be distributed through Enbridge’s system; GoRaleigh fuels its buses as Enbridge’s Poole Road headquarters.
In layman’s terms, every time you use the bathroom in the city, you’re essentially helping create the methane gas needed to keep these buses on the road while minimizing their impact on the environment. All in a day’s work!
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