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Clean Water Services advances plan to convert wastewater biogas into renewable natural gas; seeks design contract
Summary
Clean Water Services presented an update on converting biogas from Rock Creek and Durham wastewater plants into renewable natural gas (RNG), reported concept capital and net‑present‑value estimates, and asked the Board for direction to proceed with design work and further talks with Northwest Natural.
Clean Water Services staff briefed the Washington County Board of Commissioners on an updated plan to treat biogas produced at the Rock Creek and Durham wastewater treatment facilities and convert it into pipeline‑quality renewable natural gas (RNG), asking the board for authority to continue project design and contract work.
The presentation laid out three broad options for the Rock Creek gas stream: (1) continue current practice (flaring and limited use for boilers), (2) re‑introduce on‑site cogeneration (electricity plus heat), or (3) install a treatment system (membrane or alternative) to produce RNG that can be injected into the natural‑gas pipeline. Clean Water staff said Rock Creek currently flares most of its biogas and uses a portion for plant heating; Durham accepts fats, oils and grease (FOG) and operates cogeneration.
Project staff emphasized market and technology tradeoffs. When Clean Water would own, operate and maintain an RNG plant, the agency retains more revenue upside but assumes more market risk. Staff outlined three market pathways: sell all RNG into the federal RINs compliance market (Renewable Identification Numbers under the…
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