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Blue Plains to turn your poop into energy

By Andrew Mollenbeck

WASHINGTON — Flush after flush, the power comes from the people.

The end of a session on the porcelain throne is just the beginning of an innovative process that takes sewage solids and converts them into energy.

After swirling and vanishing into a maze of pipes, wastewater from across the Washington metro area heads to Blue Plains Advanced Wastewater Treatment Plant, in Southeast.

By January, brown will be the new green.

“We do really want people to know that every time they make a contribution to our system in their homes, they are helping produce green energy,” Chris Peot, a process engineer and director of resource recovery, says with a grin.

“It is truly power from the people.”

Using four massive digesters — each is capable of holding 3.8 million gallons of sewage solids — the plant will begin converting waste into energy.

Similar processes are already in place across the country, including in Alexandria, Virginia. But no place in North America has attempted what Blue Plains is about to launch.

“What’s unique about Blue Plains is we’re using a new process to make the conversion to energy much more efficient. It’s called thermal hydrolysis,” says Walter Bailey, the assistant general manager.

That means sludge is treated at high temperature and pressure to convert it into a product that can be biologically digested. Then, the carbon gets converted to methane, which can be used to generate energy.

The large scale project has two primary goals: developing an in-house energy source and creating a Class A biosolid product.

Currently, Blue Plains is the largest single-site power customer in D.C. The sludge-to-energy plan is projected to have a profound impact on that.

“This project producing 10 megawatts of power will serve to provide more than a third of our needs. That’s roughly enough to power continuously 8,000 average American homes,” Peot says.

It will also dramatically cut down the parade of trucks that currently hauls the sludge away from the plant.

These days, 60 trucks leave Blue Plains on a daily basis, exporting the leftovers to farmers in Virginia.

When the digesters are fired up, half the organic material will be converted into methane. The remaining Class A biosolids have myriad uses, including simple treatment for gardens.

In a way, it’s the the circle of life. No flush goes to waste.

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Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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