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    1. Energy Efficiency

    Los Angeles Sanitation Agency touts 362K Metric Tons reduced in Greenhouse Gas cleanup plan

    April 13, 2022
    The seven initiatives considered in the document were biogas-to-electricity, alternative fuels, commodities recycling, water recycling, biosolids management, food waste diversion, and green waste diversion
    Image credit Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts
    La County Sanitation District 6256fd9842bfb

    The Los Angeles County Sanitation Districts, the agency managing wastewater and solid wastes for Los Angeles County, claims to have reduced its combined greenhouse gas emissions by more than 362,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents.

    The agency announced those environmental successes in its document on “Reducing Our Carbon Footprint: The Sanitation Districts’ Greenhouse Gas Reduction Initiatives.” The document cites seven GHD reduction initiatives in achieving and exceeding its decarbonization goals equivalent to taking 78,000 cars off the road.

    The seven initiatives considered in the document were biogas-to-electricity, alternative fuels, commodities recycling, water recycling, biosolids management, food waste diversion, and green waste diversion.

    "Our mission is to convert waste into resources. For decades, we and our partners have undertaken activities that reduce greenhouse gas emissions. For example, by converting sewage into recycled water, we reduce the need to import water, the energy used to import water and the greenhouse gas emissions used to create energy," said Robert C. Ferrante, Chief Engineer and General Manager for the Sanitation Districts. "We're proud to have exceeded carbon neutrality in 2021 and are looking for more ways to reduce regional greenhouse gas emissions."

    Biogas created at the agency's landfills and wastewater treatment plants is converted to electricity and in 2021, sufficient electricity was generated to power 23,000 homes. The other initiatives, like vehicle fuel, commodities recycling, water recycling, using alternatives to fossil fuel, biosolids management and green waste management, helped avoid 362,000 metric tons of CO2 equivalents.

    The biogas-to-electricity facilities of the agencies generated 45 MW of green electricity, avoiding 190,000 MTCO2e of GHG emissions. By building charging stations and using alternative fuels for vehicles, GHG emissions were reduced by 3,400 MTCO2e. 

    About the Author

    EnergyTech Staff

    Rod Walton is senior editor for EnergyTech.com. He has spent 14 years covering the energy industry as a newspaper and trade journalist.

    Walton formerly was energy writer and business editor at the Tulsa World. Later, he spent six years covering the electricity power sector for Pennwell and Clarion Events. He joined Endeavor and EnergyTech in November 2021.

    He can be reached at [email protected]. 

    EnergyTech is focused on the mission critical and large-scale energy users and their sustainability and resiliency goals. These include the commercial and industrial sectors, as well as the military, universities, data centers and microgrids.

    Many large-scale energy users such as Fortune 500 companies, and mission-critical users such as military bases, universities, healthcare facilities, public safety and data centers, shifting their energy priorities to reach net-zero carbon goals within the coming decades. These include plans for renewable energy power purchase agreements, but also on-site resiliency projects such as microgrids, combined heat and power, rooftop solar, energy storage, digitalization and building efficiency upgrades.