By adding a wind turbine to the site, Crossness will become the first
sewage treatment works in Britain to harness the power of the wind, sun
and human waste, meeting 29 per cent of its total electricity demand.
Its energy-from-waste plant burns the solid leftovers from the
sewage treatment process to generate enough electricity for 7,000 homes.
Solar panels create power for the equivalent of 400 homes.
The project, due to be up and running by November this year, forms
part of Thames Water’s programme to self-generate 20 per cent of its
electricity needs by 2015. A similar wind turbine at Beckton sewage
works in east London is also due to open later this year.