Akron to tap methane to power treatment plant

AKRON, Ohio (AP) — The city will use methane gas from its closed landfill to produce electricity for an adjacent sewage treatment plant.

Akron announced the agreement today with Hull & Associates of Columbus.

The company will pay to install electric generation equipment and will sell power to the city at discounted rates.

The project will produce enough electricity to power up to 700 homes annually, or nearly one-third of the sewage treatment plant’s needs.

With Akron’s recently announced expanded plan to process solid waste from the treatment plant, nearly 90 percent of its required electric power will be generated on-site.