HomeMy WebLinkAboutCM Methane Capture Feasability StudyAgenda Item No:
Meeting Date: February 2, 2009
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
Department: City Manager
Prepared by: Stephanie Lovette, Economic City Manager Approval:
Development Coordinator
SUBJECT: PRESENTATION OF METHANE CAPTURE FEASIBILITY STUDY
FUNDED BY A GRANT FROM PG&E FOR AREAS WITHIN THE CITY OF SAN
RAFAEL AND AREAS SERVED BY THE CENTRAL MARIN SANITATION AGENCY
RECOMMENDATION: Accept Report.
BACKGROUND: In 2005, Mayor Boro became one of the initial signatories of the U.S.
Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. The City of San Rafael has implemented a number of
programs and projects to address climate change. The City Council approved a work program
for a Climate Change Action Plan and formed a Green Ribbon Committee and Green Teams.
The draft report has been completed and is being circulated for public comment. As part of this
effort, City staff is working with partner agencies to develop new projects and technologies to
mitigate or reduce the local carbon footprint, including reducing or recapturing methane gas.
One source of methane in Central Marin is commercial food waste. Marin Sanitary Service
("MSS") estimates that 12% of the local solid waste stream is made up organic waste including
commercial food waste. Approximately 50% of the solid waste, after recyclable materials are
removed, that is transported for disposal at Redwood Landfill is food waste. MSS continues to
study new technologies to increase the amount of material that can be diverted from the landfill
and has undertaken a pilot project to convert food waste into a compostable material using an
enclosed vessel. The results of the pilot project were promising but the scale of this project
cannot address the current volume of commercial food waste generated.
The Central Marin Sanitation Agency ("CMSA") has been recovering methane generated in their
wastewater treatment digesters and using that biogas to provide power for the treatment plant.
Currently, 50% of the plant's power is generated from this biogas.
The City of San Rafael accepted a $20,000 grant from Pacific Gas and Electric ("PG&E") on
March 17, 2008 to develop a report on methane capture feasibility in the Central Marin area.
The Central Marin Sanitation Agency ("CMSA") agreed to fund up to an additional $25,000 for
this study.
FOR CITY CLERK ONLY
File No.:
Council Meeting:
Disposition:
SAN RAFAEL CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT / Page: 2
City and CMSA staff prepared a Request for Qualifications, interviewed qualified firms and
chose Kennedy/Jenks Consultants to undertake the work.
Kennedy/Jenks completed their work and presented their findings to the CMSA Board on
January 13, 2009. The study investigated the feasibility of processing local commercial food
waste with CMSA's existing anaerobic digesters to be used as fuel for the engine generator to
produce energy to power the CMSA plant. This proposed food waste processing system would
be similar to the system utilized by the East Bay Municipal Utilities District.
ANALYSIS: The study identified that the City of San Rafael, CMSA and to the Marin County
community would gain the following benefits from using food waste to generate biogas.
• Reduce greenhouse gas emissions locally in Marin County
• Divert up to 15 tons of commercial food waste from Redwood Landfill with a
possibility of additional future diversion from residential food waste.
• Provide over 50,000 cubic feet per day of methane biogas and 230KW of renewable
energy to the CMSA plant
• Enable CMSA to achieve greater energy self sufficiency and potentially export
excess power
• Maximize the use of CMSA existing infrastructure
The estimated cost of the food separation facility proposed to be located at MSS is $1.1 Million.
The estimated cost of the food waste processing facility at CMSA is $2.7 Million.
Next steps
If the CMSA Board authorizes staff to continue investigating this project, the next steps would
be to further analyze and refine the costs of the capital improvements at CMSA and MSS, the
funding options, and to obtain the necessary permits from the various State agencies.
The City of San Rafael has an Agreement with MSS to provide refuse and recycling collection
services within the City and the City establishes the maximum rates collected by MSS for such
services. Therefore, MSS must also provide costs estimates and rate impacts of this program for
the City's approval. The City of San Rafael will also have planning and design approval over the
capital improvements at both the CMSA and MSS facility.
ACTION REQUIRED: Accept Report.
ATTACHMENTS: Methane Capture Feasibility Study- Kennedy/Jenks December 2008