Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Omega Protein Turning Sewage into Energy

Omega Protein uses new fuel source at Va. facility
REEDVILLE - The company that operates the menhaden fishery in the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia says it has been able to reduce its fossil fuel use thanks to a new oil source.

Omega Protein Inc. said a partnership with an Arizona-based company for a new fuel source has cut energy costs and decreased fossil fuel consumption by up to 80 percent at its Reedville facility.

Omega is a Houston company that operates the fishery in Reedville that processes an oily fish called menhaden that is used in fish oil and other products.

The company says that since 2012 it has replaced more than 3 million gallons of oil with renewable diesel oil made from everyday food and cooking oils collected from wastewater.
It's not clear to me from this article whether this is was general waste water from Reedville, or waste water from the Reedville processing plant. Certainly, the oils in menhaden could be turned into diesel, but who wants a car that smells like menhaden, although, it would probably go without notice in Reedville. Besides, the oils are one of the primary product of menhaden; it wouldn't be waste at all.

If it's done with ordinary city wastewater, why haven't bigger municipalities jumped on the option to save money?

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