Collingwood WWTP

At a Glance
• System Configuration: 1 × CR65 Capstone Microturbine with Unison Solutions gas conditioning
• Annual Generation: >500 MWh/year
• Energy Savings: ~$50,000 / year in reduced municipal electricity and heating expenses
• Thermal Integration: 430,000 BTU/hr of recovered hot water for internal facility heating


The Challenge
The Collingwood Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP)—a facility with an average daily design capacity of 24,548 m³/d operating since 1958—faced continuous, energy-intensive process loads. Digester gas produced during wastewater treatment was previously underutilized. Facility leadership needed a sustainable solution to convert raw, moisture- and siloxane-laden digester gas into reliable onsite energy without risking equipment corrosion, while lowering utility electricity purchases and overall site emissions.


The Solution
Veristar Energy supplied Ontario’s first biogas-powered microturbine CHP system at a WWTP, utilizing a 65 kW biogas-tolerant microturbine coupled with advanced gas treatment.
• Biogas Energy Recovery: Converts process digester gas directly into over 500 MWh of clean electricity annually, fed behind the utility meter to lower grid power reliance.
• Fuel Conditioning Skid: Integrates specialized moisture and siloxane removal with a gas compressor and chiller to deliver clean, conditioned fuel tailored for microturbine combustion.
• Thermal Exhaust Capture: Recovers 430,000 BTU/hr of exhaust heat as hot water, redirecting waste thermal energy to supplement facility space heating.
• Government-Supported Capital: Funded through the Small Communities Fund partnership between the Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario, and the Town of Collingwood.


The Results
• $50,000 Annual Savings: Significantly lowers municipal operating overhead by offsetting peak-tariff electricity purchases.
• First-in-Province Innovation: Establishes a successful, repeatable model for Ontario municipal wastewater facilities turning waste by-products into clean energy.
• Proven Monthly Performance: Consistently generates 30,000 to 40,000 kWh per month directly for plant operations.
• Carbon Footprint Reduction: Eliminates raw gas flaring emissions while maximizing total fuel efficiency through combined power and thermal energy utilization.