You know, when it comes to renewable energy, we tend to think of the big hitters – solar, wind, and hydro. But there’s another renewable resource that’s been quietly making waves, and it’s one you might not expect: poop. That’s right, folks, the stuff we flush down the toilets every day could be the key to unlocking a whole new frontier of renewable energy.
I first stumbled upon this idea when I came across a fascinating podcast episode that explored the incredible potential of turning human waste into energy. The host, Matt Ferrell, interviewed a guy named Dan Spracklin, the co-founder of a company called SoMax, who’s been at the forefront of this “sh*t-powered” revolution.
It turns out, there’s an old technology called hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) that’s been around since 1913, and it’s just starting to gain some serious traction. HTC is essentially an industrial-scale pressure cooker that can transform sewage sludge into a coal-like solid fuel, as well as a liquid that can be used to generate biogas.
Now, I know what you’re thinking: “Turning my waste into energy? That’s gotta be a load of crap!” But hear me out, because this technology is actually pretty amazing.
The Science Behind Turning Poop into Power
The basic idea behind HTC is pretty straightforward. When you apply heat and pressure to sewage sludge, it triggers a series of chemical reactions that break down the larger molecules, remove oxygen and hydrogen, and recombine them into a more stable, coal-like substance. This process mimics the way that Mother Nature forms coal, which typically takes hundreds of millions of years to occur. But with HTC, we can do it in less than an hour.
The resulting “hydrochar” material has a similar fuel value to lignite coal, and can be used as a direct replacement in coal-fired power plants. In fact, some wastewater treatment plants have already started co-firing this hydrochar alongside their regular coal, reducing their reliance on fossil fuels.
But the real magic happens with the liquid byproduct of the HTC process. This nutrient-rich “process water” can be used alongside anaerobic digestion to produce biogas, which is essentially a renewable natural gas that can be used for heating, electricity generation, or even as a vehicle fuel.
According to Dan Spracklin, the SoMax team has even found that the hydrochar can be used to replace sand in concrete, which is a huge deal when you consider that the construction industry is responsible for a whopping 40% of the world’s energy-related CO2 emissions. By incorporating this recycled material, they can offset emissions from cement production and sequester the carbon from the biosolids for thousands of years.
The Environmental and Economic Benefits
So, not only is this technology turning our waste into a valuable resource, but it’s also delivering some pretty incredible environmental benefits. By capturing and converting the methane produced by decomposing sewage sludge, we’re reducing greenhouse gas emissions and preventing that potent greenhouse gas from being released into the atmosphere.
And the economic benefits are pretty impressive too. According to the studies Spracklin shared, HTC-treated sewage sludge can reduce the energy costs of wastewater treatment plants by up to 62%, essentially allowing them to go from being the largest consumers of energy in a municipality to net energy producers. That extra electricity can then be used to power other municipal buildings and infrastructure, like city halls, police stations, and streetlights.
Another fascinating aspect of this technology is its potential to remove harmful contaminants like PFAS (aka “forever chemicals”) from the sewage sludge. These pesky compounds are notoriously difficult to break down, but the high temperatures and pressures of the HTC process can actually destroy the carbon-fluorine bonds that make them so persistent.
Overcoming the Challenges
Of course, with any new technology, there are always going to be some challenges to overcome. One of the biggest hurdles for HTC right now is the regulatory red tape involved in working with biohazardous materials like sewage sludge.
As Dan Spracklin explained, even though the US Department of Energy has given the green light for HTC to be implemented at small and medium-sized wastewater treatment plants across the country, it’s still taken SoMax three years to get the necessary permits to test out their process at a single plant in Pennsylvania. The legal paperwork and public health concerns surrounding this kind of waste can be a real headache.
But Spracklin is convinced that with the right education and leadership, we can start to overcome these obstacles. He believes that by highlighting the environmental and economic benefits, and having government and industry leaders pave the way, we can start to see more widespread adoption of this transformative technology.
The Future of Poop-Powered Renewable Energy
It’s pretty mind-blowing to think that the stuff we flush down the toilet every day could be the key to unlocking a whole new frontier of renewable energy. I mean, we’re literally sitting on a goldmine of untapped potential here.
And the best part is, this resource is always plentiful – you don’t have to wait for the sun to shine or the wind to blow to start generating power. You can just keep on flushing, and the HTC process can keep on cranking out that sweet, sweet hydrochar and biogas.
I don’t know about you, but I think it’s high time we started taking our crap a little more seriously. This technology has the potential to transform the way we manage our waste, reduce our reliance on fossil fuels, and even sequester carbon in the process. It’s a win-win-win situation, if you ask me.
So, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to go take a long, hard look at my toilet and start dreaming of all the ways we can turn our number two into number one renewable energy. Who knows, maybe one day my poop could be powering the local fire station or keeping the streetlights on. Now that’s what I call a sustainable future.
Firewinder is committed to providing innovative renewable energy solutions to help power a cleaner, more sustainable future. By exploring cutting-edge technologies like HTC, we’re working to unlock the untapped potential of our waste streams and transform them into valuable renewable resources.