A new water filtration technology that could provide more renewable energy to power wastewater treatment systems, is receiving federal funding. The FedDev Ontario grant is being used to evaluate the integration of MicroClear flat sheet membranes with the current system as an effective method for increasing biogas production generated from the treatment of wastewater.

The technology was developed at NewTerra Ltd., a global leader in sustainable water treatment, and is being evaluated for this novel application by Queen’s University researcher Bruce Anderson.

“The $68,798 in FedDev Ontario funding will allow us to improve filtration at wastewater plants and, more importantly, increase biogas production,” says Dr. Anderson, who worked with Newterra Ltd. to evaluate the technology.

The MicroClear sheets are currently in use at the Brockville Wastewater Services Facility, where they are part of the anaerobic digestion process. Anaerobic digestion is a bacterial process in which bacteria break down the solids captured or produced in the wastewater treatment process. This produces a mix of methane gas and carbon dioxide referred to as biogas.

“Queen’s is thrilled to be a partner in this initiative with Newterra – another great example of how creative collaborations can support economic and social benefit, particularly in south-eastern Ontario,” says Steven Liss (VP, Research). “We have great assets in the region, an excellent university and innovative and growing global oriented industry partners. The relationships developed through this funding are important.”

The project is funded by FedDev Ontario’s Applied Research and Commercialization Initiative, to help small businesses access the research capacity of colleges and universities for engineering design, technology development, product testing and certification.

The partnership is the result of the 2012 federally funded partnership initiative, managed by the Queen’s University Industry Partnerships team to support projects between small and medium businesses in Southern Ontario.