Northumbrian Water has taken delivery of innovative pilot plant equipment that will enable it to capture ammonia produced naturally from sewage for use in the production of fertilisers, pharmaceuticals and potentially in hydrogen for use as a green fuel.
Northumbrian said the “ground breaking“ equipment will be installed at its Howdon Sewage Treatment Works over the coming three weeks, And once operational, the pilot ammonia recovery facility will be a world first deployment of the equipment by a water company.
Northumbrian's Ammonia Recovery project, in partnership with Organics Group, won a £225,000 funding bid from the first Ofwat Innovation Fund in 2021.
Ammonia is generated by the natural breakdown of proteins in wastewater. Industrial production ammonia is a heavily intensive user of energy – producing about 1.8% of global greenhouse emissions.
Organics now has a purpose-built at the Organics factory in Thailand.
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