Interregional Concept for Advanced Wastewater Energy Reclamation
Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) present one of the major energy consumers of municipalities. However, WWTPs are also capable of supplying energy by on-site methane production. The progressing worldwide energy transition faces unsolved issues in terms of fossil fuels. Great amounts of crude oil and carbon natural gas can be replaced by electricity and heat. However, the non-substitutable part exceeds the capacity of recent technology by far (Source: Fraunhofer IWES). WWTPs as an existing, ubiquitous and comparable infrastructure could contribute valuably in this matter. Wastewater associations do not identify themselves with this responsibility since their major task remains the efficient purification of water. However, by intensified energy efficiency like decreasing energy demand and increasing energy production, WWTPs may satisfy the need for renewable methane. The Interreg-region shows comparable infrastructures, wastewater characteristics, regulations and ecological guidelines._x000D_
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Previous research projects (EnerWater) found great potentials in energy efficiency as well as geographical differences. Therefore, it is easy and reasonable to transfer technologies and methods within this area and reinforce know- how exchange.