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Project Overview
Have you ever wondered what happens after you flush the toilet?
The Bioenergy Recovery Project is transforming how Raleigh manages wastewater. At the Neuse River Resource Recovery Facility, new technology now turns wastewater byproducts into renewable natural gas. This fuel will power more than 70 GoRaleigh buses every day, making Raleigh the first city in North Carolina and one of only a few in the country to fuel its own fleet with biogas from its wastewater facility.
The system also reduces biosolids by half, produces a reusable soil conditioner, and lowers greenhouse gas emissions by 11 percent. From flush to fuel, we're creating a more sustainable future.
Project Background
This project is more than a decade in the making, the result of collaboration between Raleigh Water, Transportation, and Sustainability with strong support from City Council.
In May 2019, Raleigh set an ambitious goal to reduce community-wide greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. The Bioenergy Recovery Project is a major step toward meeting that goal.
Project Details
- Technology: Thermal hydrolysis and anaerobic digestion to turn biosolids (yes, what you flush) into renewable natural gas.
- Facility: Neuse River Resource Recovery Facility, Raleigh’s largest wastewater treatment plant.
- Capacity: Treats up to 50 million gallons of wastewater per day.
- Partners: Raleigh Water, Transportation, and Sustainability departments with support from City Council.
- Ribbon Cutting: October 15, 2025
Why it Matters
- Powers over 70 GoRaleigh buses daily with renewable natural gas.
- Cuts biosolids in half, reducing waste management needs.
- Produces a Class A soil conditioner for safe, beneficial reuse.
- Reduces greenhouse gas emissions from City operations by 11 percent.
- Generates new revenue by selling extra renewable natural gas.
About Raleigh Water
Raleigh Water provides safe and reliable drinking water and wastewater services to more than 650,000 people in Raleigh and six merger communities, including: Garner, Wake Forest, Rolesville, Knightdale, Wendell, and Zebulon. The award-winning department is committed to protecting public health and the environment through responsible water management practices. It’s a constant, quiet effort, a little bit of everyday magic that makes life in this region just a little bit better.