Turning Waste into Energy: New Biogas Project at Virginia Beach Treatment Plant
By Bob McKenna, Virginia Peninsula Chamber
The Hampton Roads Sanitation District (HRSD) is partnering with Virginia Natural Gas on a $30 million project to convert biogas from its Atlantic Treatment Plant in Virginia Beach into renewable natural gas (RNG). The plant treats up to 54 million gallons of wastewater daily, producing methane-rich biogas as a byproduct.
Instead of flaring the methane — a process that burns off the gas and contributes to greenhouse emissions — the new project will clean and convert it into RNG that can power up to 4,000 homes annually.
“This is a great solution,” said BJ Ward, a solids process engineer at HRSD. “We haven’t been using this biogas as effectively as we could.”
The initiative aligns with Virginia’s Energy Innovation Act of 2022, which encourages investment in lower-carbon fuels. Once approved, the project will slightly increase customer bills (by about 40 cents per month) while reducing emissions and generating new revenue for both HRSD and Virginia Natural Gas.
While some environmental groups raise concerns about the long-term value of RNG, proponents argue it's a practical step toward cleaner energy, especially in hard-to-decarbonize sectors.