We typically don't think of our wastewater and sewage once we flush it down the drain. But in Markham, Ontario, new green technology is capturing heat from sewage to create a renewable energy source.
In a YouTube video posted by TVO Today (@tvotoday), Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland joined the crew onsite at Markham District Energy for its breaking-ground ceremony celebrating the new tech.
The revolutionary system aims to harness the neglected heat in wastewater and pass it onward in a heat-sharing program, creating an efficient and sustainable energy source.
This new system is now the world's largest wastewater energy transfer project and will set an example that other cities can follow to repurpose their urban waste.
"Wastewater energy transfer system technology" is a very long phrase but a surprisingly simple process, according to Water Canada. A heat pump captures warmth from sewage and transfers that heat to the clean water system, which is used for showers, faucets, washing machines, dishwashers, and radiators.
In this closed-loop system, energy is taken from wastewater and transferred to treated water without letting the two come into contact.
Water Canada notes that Canadians produce nearly 12.7 trillion liters (about 3.4 trillion gallons) of wastewater every day, much of which is heated. Up until recently, this vast amount of available energy has been wasted.
Harnessing thermal energy from sewage decreases the demand for natural gas and could remove up to 54.7 million metric tons (about 60.3 million tons) of planet-warming gases every year — the equivalent of removing 18.6 million cars from the road.
Utilizing thermal energy from wastewater also has the potential to lower energy consumption, significantly reducing power costs while also cutting down on harmful pollution.
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Both businesses and residences could benefit from this technology. Markham District Energy has set a powerful example of what's possible with wastewater energy transfer and its potential benefits for consumers and the environment. Moreover, the company knows how to access it.
"There's another piece of infrastructure that was here 25 years ago — the York region wastewater main. It's been here the entire time. Energy has always been flowing in that wastewater main," Bruce Ander from Markham District Energy explained.
Now, with the help of new green technology, it will be harnessed and used to serve the community.
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