Fats, Oils, and Grease Create Energy in Sacramento

The Sacramento Regional County Sanitation District is celebrating its new Biogas Enhancement Facility located at the wastewater treatment plant in Elk Grove.

The plant takes fats, oils and grease, called FOG, and injects it into waste digesters.

The new process creates methane, bypasses a treatment step that can waste energy, and prevents greases from clogging the system.

"One of the estimates is this will provide enough electricity for 700 homes in our region," says Ruben Robles, director of operations at the wastewater plant. "Obviously as we bring in more and more FOG, we can generate more methane, which will generate more electricity."

SMUD converts the biogas into electricity. The project also helps reduce fuel costs associated with trucking the waste to the Bay area, the closest facility that accepts fats, oils and grease.