AVF project: Wastewater treatment facilities are promising hubs for integrating food-water-energy systems. However, most of these facilities do not recover energy or nutrients, and they account for up to 4% of all U.S. electricity consumption. Researchers will use the Ithaca Area Wastewater Treatment Facility as a case study to test emerging technologies that increase energy production and nutrient recovery, and create a tool that guides these municipal facilities in modifying operations. This project also develops networks and markets for upcycling food waste, and aims to balance regional nutrient loops between rural producers and urban consumers.

The supplemental grant will allow up to 15 students to participate in the research through small teams with specialized foci. After reflecting on field trips to local treatment facilities, farms and composting facilities, they will assist with developing the decision model, pilot testing and analyzing data, and interviewing stakeholders invested in reducing food waste through a novel wastewater treatment technology.