Collaborative Effort Played Pivotal Role in Reducing Flaring
The New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) announced the successful and early completion of the scheduled maintenance for the innovative biogas-to-grid renewable energy project at the Newtown Creek Wastewater Resource Recovery Facility (WRRF). National Grid completed the maintenance three days ahead of schedule, finishing the work by August 16 instead of the originally planned date of August 19. Annual preventative maintenance is essential to ensure optimal performance of the biogas-to-grid energy project.
The well-coordinated efforts of DEP and National Grid played a pivotal role in reducing flaring during the scheduled system downtime. To achieve this reduction, deliveries of pre-processed food scraps were temporarily paused and DEP staff delayed the flow of wastewater sludge entering the facility’s digesters. Together, these efforts decreased the amount of biogas generated at the facility. Biogas is a byproduct of wastewater solids treatment, and the facility’s biogas-to-grid system harvests biogas as a sustainable, renewable energy source. Flaring is the controlled combustion of excess biogas into the atmosphere; this process converts methane into biogenic carbon dioxide, significantly reducing its global warming impact. When the biogas-to-grid system is offline, excess biogas that cannot be used for on-site heating purposes is flared off.
DEP is advancing New York City’s circular economy by recovering energy and nutrients from the city’s organic waste, including food scraps and wastewater. A circular economy is a system focused on reusing materials instead of discarding them, with the goal of recovering materials previously seen as waste. At the Newtown facility, DEP processes wastewater sludge and food scraps in giant mechanical stomachs called digesters. This biological process produces biosolids, which can be used as fertilizer, and biogas, a sustainable energy source. (A recent assessment of greenhouse gas emissions showed that digesting food scraps can have a comparable environmental benefit to direct composting.)
In June 2023, DEP partnered with National Grid to cut the ribbon on this innovative renewable energy project. This first-of-its-kind project produces a reliable source of clean, renewable energy, reducing the amount of organic waste sent to landfills, and is already improving air quality. By converting biogas into clean, renewable energy, this project reduces greenhouse gas emissions and improves air quality.
DEP and National Grid have made massive reductions in the amount of system downtime and flaring, with the most recent data showing that the biogas-to-grid system was operational 95% of the time in May 2024. This resulted in 87% less flaring when compared to May of 2022, prior to the biogas-to-grid system coming online.
About the Department of Environmental Protection
DEP manages New York City’s water supply, providing approximately 1 billion gallons of high-quality drinking water each day to nearly 10 million residents, including 8.8 million in New York City. The water is delivered from a watershed that extends more than 125 miles from the city, comprising 19 reservoirs and three controlled lakes. Approximately 7,000 miles of water mains, tunnels and aqueducts bring water to homes and businesses throughout the five boroughs, and 7,500 miles of sewer lines and 96 pump stations take wastewater to 14 in-city treatment plants. DEP also protects the health and safety of New Yorkers by enforcing the Air and Noise Codes and asbestos rules. DEP has a robust capital program, with a planned $29 billion in investments over the next 10 years. For more information, visit nyc.gov/dep, like us on Facebook, or follow us on X, formerly known as Twitter.
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