DALTON, Ga. — The Appalachian Regional Commission plans to award $100,000 to support Dalton Utilities’ efforts to use algae to treat wastewater and produce biofuel.
“(The project) has a twofold purpose for us,” Dalton Utilities spokeswoman Lori McDaniel said. “We’re doing it for nutrient removal in the wastewater treatment process, to remove phosphorus (and nitrogen) in the wastewater stream. The icing on the cake would be to create biofuel that could fuel our (diesel) fleet.”
A one-acre pilot facility is “in the start-up phase” and began operating in December at Dalton Utilities’ 9,800-acre site off the South Bypass, she said.
Working with the University of Georgia, Dalton Utilities eventually will develop large-scale algae cultivation to treat wastewater and produce fuel at the site if the pilot project is successful, she said.
Dalton Utilities applied for funding through the Appalachian Regional Commission in August. Lasthad preliminary approval.