Raleigh Becomes First in North Carolina to Power Buses with Renewable Natural Gas from Wastewater

The sky was a clear blue, and the sun was bright as a crowd gathered at the Neuse River Resource Recovery Center to mark a milestone: cutting the ribbon for the Bioenergy Recovery Project.

Raleigh is fueling its future (literally) with wastewater.  
 

This fall, Raleigh will become the first city in North Carolina – and one of only a few cities in the nation – to power its bus fleet with renewable natural gas created from its own wastewater.  

Every day, 50 million gallons of wastewater are treated at the Neuse River Resource Recovery Facility. Thanks to new technology, that waste is now turned into renewable natural gas (RNG). It’s no small feat: this process generates enough RNG to power over 70 GoRaleigh buses every day. This process also cuts the City’s biosolids in half and produces a high-quality soil conditioner. 
 

"This project proves that we don’t have to choose between protecting our planet and operating efficiently,” said Raleigh Water Director Whit Wheeler. “We’re taking something that used to be waste and turning it into clean energy that will fuel our city for years to come.” 
 

The Bioenergy Recovery Project is a major step towards Raleigh’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. It also reflects more than a decade of collaboration between Raleigh Water, GoRaleigh, and the Office of Sustainability. It is a testament to how long-term collaboration can turn ambitious ideas into real progress.