Oceanside, CA

San Luis Rey Wastewater Treatment Plant – Fuel Conditioning Case Study

The City of Oceanside, CA issued an RFP in 2007 to identify a qualified partner to build, own and operate a biogas fired cogeneration plant at their San Luis Rey Water Reclamation Facility. The winning respondent would enter into a Power Purchase Agreement with The City for 10 years with a 10 year renewal term. The challenge was to design and build a high performance biogas fired CHP system that would perform reliably and deliver mutually beneficial economics for the life of the agreement and beyond.

The winning system design, owned by CHP Clean Energy, includes the BioSpark System which conditions the biogas prior to entering the prime mover. Since it’s commissioning, the reciprocating engine has been maintained on a schedule consistent with a “natural gas” cogeneration facility.

The BioSpark scalable, patented technology provides efficient biogas conditioning, resulting in reduced maintenance, lower costs and increased output. Focused on the removal of moisture, H2S and siloxanes identified at San Luis Rey WRF, the BioSpark design meets the specific needs of the site and maximizes the output of the system.

CHP Clean Energy considers the BioSpark Fuel Conditioning System to be a critical element to the long term success in Oceanside.