Going off the Grid: Pittsfield, MA Wastewater Treatment Plant Renewable Energy and Efficiency Program

The City of Pittsfield, Massachusetts and its engineering consultant Kleinfelder/S E A, leveraged funding opportunities from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to implement projects that will leave its Wastewater Treatment Plant nearly self-sufficient with respect to their electrical energy needs. Employing renewable, “green” technologies and increasing energy efficiency, the City is continuing a tradition of wastewater treatment innovation that stretches back to 1890 with the construction of their original plant.This presentation and paper will provide an overview of the planning, design, and construction phases of these renewable energy and energy-efficiency projects implemented at the City of Pittsfield's Wastewater Treatment Plant.