Sewage Sludge in Zuid‑Holland
A feasibility study for the Province of Zuid-Holland on producing more biogas while keeping sludge easy to dewater.
Rethinking Sewage Sludge Treatment in Zuid-Holland
A feasibility study funded by the Province of Zuid-Holland through the MIT innovation scheme. It explores a new two-stage digestion concept for municipal sewage sludge, aimed at producing more biogas while keeping the sludge easy to dewater.
Why sludge is a major issue in the Netherlands
A large regional stream
Zuid-Holland's four water boards together process more than 200,000 tonnes of dry solids of sewage sludge every year.
Paying to move water
With no route back to farmland, nearly all Dutch sewage sludge is incinerated. Processing costs of €100–300 per tonne make every percentage point of extra dryness count.
The dewatering bottleneck
Advanced digestion boosts biogas but often leaves sludge that is hard to press. Filter presses clog, and plants fall back on centrifuges that use up to five times more energy.
Space and emission limits
Ageing treatment sites have little room to expand, while stricter emission standards and the water sector's climate targets demand more efficient sludge lines.
What the study covers
The study is fully desk-based. BioResources Consulting combines a literature review, ADM1 process modelling, a patent search and interviews with water boards to answer three questions:
- Can the concept's process stability and energy balance be validated through modelling?
- Is there enough scientific evidence that it improves sludge dewaterability?
- What payback and CAPEX/OPEX thresholds do water boards apply when adopting new sludge technology?
The outcome is a go/no-go decision on pilot testing at a wastewater treatment plant.
Ready to Find a Better Solution?
Start with the challenge, leave with a clearer direction.