www.montereycountynow.com JANUARY 9-15, 2025 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 11 As the Monterey Peninsula becomes increasingly dependent on recycled water, the cost of water is going to rise, and already has. Although recycling water is cheaper than desalinating it, it’s still energy intensive. Add to that, energy from the grid can be unreliable—Monterey One Water, which treats wastewater and recycles some of it for potable use, lost power in 2022 for a total of 65.2 hours at its treatment plant in Marina, as the PG&E substation supplying energy to the plant experienced interruptions. While generators were able to keep things humming, it’s not an ideal scenario for the facility—wastewater is constantly flowing, and needs to be treated before being discharged out to sea. So in 2022, M1W created a Renewable Energy and Electrical Reliability Program, the first step of which was to provide a report to M1W’s board about how to solve that problem. The report was presented in April of last year, and among its recommendations, which the board agreed to, was to replace the treatment plant’s electrical infrastructure, which is more than 34 years old. Concurrently, M1W will also interconnect the electrical systems for various parts of the plant; right now, the three treatment plants on the campus don’t connect to each other. Combined, the estimated total cost of those two projects is just shy of $35 million. The agency is also moving forward with a project to upgrade its biogas gas infrastructure. Currently, biogas from anaerobic digesters accounts for about 90 percent of the wastewater treatment plant’s power. The plan is to increase that by producing more natural gas, and if the plan works, sell some of it back to PG&E and have the project pay for itself in less than a decade. Paul Sciuto, M1W’s general manager, says the state requires utilities to have some renewable natural gas in their system, and that it sells for six times the price of nonrenewable. “That’s where it becomes economically viable,” Sciuto says, adding that it’s also good for the environment as it keeps food waste out of landfills, thus reducing greenhouse gas emissions. “It’s super exciting.” To do that, M1W is bringing food waste in from elsewhere. Ironically it’s not from its neighbor ReGen Monterey, whose composting operation is just hundreds of yards away from M1W’s treatment plants. Sciuto says ReGen wasn’t ready to commit to providing its food waste for the project, so M1W has partnered with a company called Anaertia, which has a nationwide network, to truck in the food waste. And aside from the emissions reduction the project is expected to bring, it also will have an immediate impact on the community once the biogas project is operational—the sale of the natural gas is expected to not only pay for the project in a decade or less, it should also help M1W stabilize its rates for customers. “With Pure Water [Monterey], it takes a lot of energy to filter water,” Sciuto says. “If we can reduce those costs, it helps customers in the long run.” Gassed Up Monterey One Water is upgrading its infrastructure so it can sell renewable natural gas. By David Schmalz Monterey One Water is partnering with a national company to bring in food waste to input into its biogas production facility, in turn powering its energy-intensive operation in Marina. NEWS “It becomes economicaly viable. It’s super exciting.” DANIEL DREIFUSS 2025 Orbea Rise LT & SL Open Tuesday ThrOugh saTurday In Downtown Santa Cruz – 585 Pacific Ave, Santa Cruz See website or phone for details • 831-621-2309 • www.currentebikes.com EvERy BikE incLudES: • Free LiFetime tune-ups • proFessionaL assembLy • assistance with sizing & adjustments • discounts on accessories, racks, etc. • compLete post saLe service mention this ad For an additionaL $50 off any BIKE In stocK eLectric bicycLes Real Men, Real Life, Real Results We’ve been there, and we’ll be there for you. January Workshop Registration Open Now LIFE TOOLS FOR MEN For 37 years Breakthrough has been the premier workshop for men to create the lives they want. Visit www.breakthroughformen.org or email enrollment@breakthroughformen.org Thanks to Breakthrough I'm a better friend, better partner and better father. carmel plaza • carmel-by-the-sea khakisofcarmel • 831.625.8106 shop new arrivals selected sport coat reductions
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