The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission selects Cambi thermal hydrolysis technology for new biosolids digester facilities at the Southeast Treatment Plant

07 Nov 2022 21:14 CET

The technology will allow the SFPUC to enhance odor control, boost energy
recovery, and reduce the plant’s environmental footprint.

Asker / San Francisco, Norway, 7 November 2022

The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission and Cambi, the world leader in
thermal hydrolysis for wastewater treatment, are pleased to announce an
agreement for the installation of three thermal hydrolysis systems as part of
the Biosolids Digester Facilities Project at the Southeast Treatment Plant in
San Francisco. The contract will be signed in the coming days.

The SFPUC is investing over $3 billion to upgrade and modernize the Southeast
Treatment Plant, the City’s largest wastewater treatment facility, as part of a
more extensive citywide Sewer System Improvement Program.

The Biosolids Digester Facilities Project is an essential component of the
larger Southeast Treatment Plant upgrade and will replace and relocate the
existing, outdated solids treatment facilities with more reliable, efficient,
and modern technologies and facilities. The new digesters will use a
state-of-the-art sludge treatment line using Cambi’s thermal hydrolysis systems.


“We are making generational investments at the Southeast Treatment Plant, our
largest wastewater treatment facility,” said Dennis Herrera, General Manager of
the SFPUC. “We took great care in designing it to be a modern and efficient
resource-recovery centre, improving operations and the well-being of employees
and nearby residents. We are pleased to see the project taking another major
step toward completion with this contract for thermal hydrolysis technology.
This is about doing what’s right for our communities, the environment, and our
ratepayers.”

The contract is a win-win for both Cambi and the SFPUC. It is a major contract
in the United States for Cambi, a Norway-based company, and the use of thermal
hydrolysis technology will allow the SFPUC to produce higher quality “Class A”
biosolids. The nutrient-rich wastewater byproduct, known as ‘biosolids’, are
used as a high-quality fertilizer. The higher classification will expand the
byproduct’s beneficial uses.

In addition, the Cambi technology allows the SFPUC to enhance odor control and
boost biogas output and energy recovery. Once operational, the new facilities
will reduce the carbon and environmental footprint associated with biosolids
management.

“We are honored to have a role in assisting the SFPUC in achieving their
ambitious sustainability goals. Thermal hydrolysis was selected as a core
technology for the project in 2016 to provide greater security as biosolids
regulations become increasingly stringent and restrictive. We look forward to
getting started on this important delivery for the metropolitan area of San
Francisco”, said Eirik Fadnes, Cambi CEO.

The project is carried out by a joint venture of MWH Constructors and Webcor
Builders. Cambi has worked with MWH on several thermal hydrolysis projects in
the US and other countries.

The project is Cambi’s tenth in the US but the first on the West Coast. The
current project timeline plans the delivery of the thermal hydrolysis systems in
2027 and commissioning in 2028.

The large-scale investments to the Southeast Treatment Plant will reduce odors –
improving the quality of life for nearby residents and employees –, improve
earthquake resiliency, prepare for sea level rise, and ensure operational
redundancy and efficiency. Once the upgrades are finished, the upgraded facility
will look better, smell better, and work better for the community, SFPUC staff
and all of San Francisco.

The Sewer System Improvement Program
Every day, over one million residents, businesses, and visitors rely on our
combined sewer system to protect public health and the environment. The
investments at the Southeast Treatment Plant are part of the Sewer System
Improvement Program (SSIP), a multi-billion-dollar investment to upgrade and
modernize San Francisco’s critical sewer infrastructure with new technologies to
improve operations, reduce odors, better manage stormwater, and safeguard
against climate impacts, like sea level rise. Projects across the City range
from neighborhood green infrastructure like rain gardens that collect and clean
stormwater, to extensive treatment plant upgrades. sfpuc.org/ssip


Organisational information

About Cambi
Cambi is a global biogas technology and solutions supplier for wastewater
treatment plants and anaerobic digestion facilities. Since 1992, Cambi has
retained market leadership through continuous innovation and a robust portfolio
of proven and patented technologies. With strong project delivery and customer
support capabilities, the company has delivered many well-performing
installations in 26 countries on six continents.
Cambi’s thermal hydrolysis process increases renewable energy output, reduces
operational costs, and minimises greenhouse gas emissions. It is suitable for
all biosolids outlets, including land application and thermal processes such as
drying, pyrolysis, and incineration. Thermal hydrolysis is compatible with all
sludge and waste treatment regulations and easy to integrate at new and existing
anaerobic digestion sites.
Cambi is listed on Euronext Growth Oslo, a multilateral trading facility part of
Euronext, the largest stock exchange platform in Europe. Find out more at
www.cambi.com.

About the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
The San Francisco Public Utilities Commission is a department of the City and
County of San Francisco. It delivers drinking water to 2.7 million people in the
San Francisco Bay Area, collects and treats wastewater for the City and County
of San Francisco, and meets over 70 per cent of the electricity demand in San
Francisco. Our mission is to provide our customers with high-quality, efficient
and reliable water, power, and sewer services in a manner that values
environmental and community interests and sustains the resources entrusted to
our care. Learn more at www.sfpuc.org.

Media contacts:
Cambi
• Eirik Fadnes, CEO, Eirik.Fadnes@cambi.com, +47 907 20 014
• Paul Christy, General Manager Cambi Inc., +1-610-247-7584,
Paul.Christy@cambi.com
• Dragos Talvescu, Marketing Director, +47 907 99 522, Media@cambi.com

San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
• John Cote, (415) 554-3474, JCote@sfwater.org


Note:
When announcing new contracts, Cambi describes the contract value using the
following classification:

Contract Sizeable contract Large contract Major contract
Value in NOK million 15-50 50-100 100-200 >200

More information:
Access the news on Oslo Bors NewsWeb site

574957_2022.11.07 - Joint Press Release - SFPUC selects Cambi THP for new biosolids digester facilities.pdf