Poo may seem like an unconventional way to get power. Sandra Diorka, Director of Public Services for Delhi Charter Township says, "We call it poo to power."

In fact, the method at the Delhi Township Waste water Treatment Facility really stinks. She says, "We go from waste products provided by our citizens to power."

However, the Biomass to Energy Project is the perfect way to use the human waste that's already there to create a new and useful product, energy. Burt Gulick says..."It's one of the first of its kind. It's the first plant that burns methane through turbines to generate heat as well as electricity."

At the new facility, sludge goes into a series of turbines and is broken down by bacteria. In the final tank the methane gas is formed and in turn powers the turbine. That creates the electricity. Township Manager John Elsinga says, "We use the electricity to operate the facility, and we use the heat also to heat up the solids.

It's estimated that the new process will save the township around $70,000 a year in energy costs. Diorka says, "Our preliminary estimates are $25,000 to $30,000 in electricity and $40,000 in natural gas because previous to this, we were using natural gas to heat the process where now we can use the heat produced by the turbine generators."

In addition, the environmentally friendly facility is preparing the township for changes in the future. Elsinga says, "Regulations keep tightening, and so you may as well prepare yourself for the future, because as regulations tighten, then you're more prepared to deal with it cost effectively.

Going green means saving the environment too. Although employees at the plant have a different motto. Diorka says, "We said it before, we consider it going brown instead of going green."

Diorka says the plant has received an award from the EPA for innovation and the use of public funds. The plant is one of only three in the country that operates the way it does. Diorka says she hopes the unconventional process becomes the norm across the country.

The township is working on a study with the Lansing Board of Water and Light to see if they will be able to use some of the class A solids produced during this process for energy. Diorka says once the product is dried, it may be useful as a substitute for coal in their coal burning generators.