Why It Matters
A planned Virginia Beach facility would convert gas produced during wastewater treatment into pipeline-delivered energy. The project is expected to provide enough gas to power 5,000 homes annually, with Virginia Natural Gas customers covering the estimated cost.
What Happened
Hampton Roads Sanitation District partnered with Virginia Natural Gas to develop a renewable natural gas facility at HRSD’s existing Virginia Beach treatment plant. The system would capture and purify biogas generated during wastewater treatment before sending it through Virginia Natural Gas pipelines.
A planned 200-foot interconnection pipe would link the HRSD property to existing Virginia Natural Gas lines. The company expects the project eventually to allow customers to purchase less gas.
Carl Garofalo said the project would reduce the amount of gas burned off during treatment. “There’s an environmental benefit to this in that we are pretty much eliminating that flared gas,” Garofalo said.
Jay Bernas described the partnership as a way to turn a wastewater-treatment byproduct into an energy resource. “This project demonstrates how collaboration can transform a byproduct of wastewater treatment into a renewable energy resource,” Bernas said.
By the Numbers
315,000 homes — homes Virginia Natural Gas provides power for in the area
5,000 homes annually — homes the Virginia Beach facility is expected to power
$30 million — estimated project cost
$0.36 a month — expected increase in average residential customer bills
200-foot — length of the planned interconnection pipe
Zoom Out
The Virginia Beach project follows a smaller renewable natural gas facility developed by the Western Virginia Water Authority and Roanoke Gas Company. The organizations partnered on that facility in 2022, and it became fully operational in 2023.
The Roanoke facility can provide enough gas power for 500 homes. Landfills produce five times as much gas as wastewater treatment facilities such as the planned Virginia Beach operation.
Virginia lawmakers also passed new biosolids regulations during this year’s General Assembly session. The law restricts PFAS levels in biosolids before their use on farmland is limited.
What’s Next
Virginia Natural Gas anticipates filing for approval to recover the project’s costs with the State Corporation Commission within four months. The expected monthly increase for average residential customers is about $0.36.