IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v268y2020ics0306261920304724.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Electricity generation and demand flexibility in wastewater treatment plants: Benefits for 100% renewable electricity grids

Author

Listed:
  • Ali, Syed Muhammad Hassan
  • Lenzen, Manfred
  • Sack, Fabian
  • Yousefzadeh, Moslem

Abstract

In future, the low carbon electricity grid will need an additional potential of energetic flexibility to compensate the variable renewable supply. Wastewater treatment plants have the potential to provide electricity demand and generation flexibility. A novel approach of utilising the energetic flexibility in wastewater treatment plants to optimize the installed capacity of a fully renewable electricity grid in Australia is presented. In this hourly electricity supply simulation, both the electricity generation and demand of wastewater treatment plants are shifted for reducing the required size of 100% renewable electricity grid and achieving perfect supply-demand matching. The electricity demand and dispatchable electricity generation capacity of cogeneration systems in wastewater treatment plants are modelled on a 90×110 raster grid. For a 6-hour shift in wastewater treatment plant’s electricity demand and it’s electricity generation limited to five times the current capacity, a 100% renewable electricity grid would need an installed capacity of around 149 GW to meet the existing reliability standard (6–8 h of power outages per year). The electricity generation cost is around 16 ¢/kWh with a capacity factor of 28% and spilt electricity of less than 21%. The electricity generated from sewage methane in wastewater treatment plants is only 1% of the total generation and is utilised along with biomass power plants to plug demand-supply gaps. Our results indicate that a 2% reduction in installed capacity and 11% reduction in levelized cost of electricity is achieved by utilizing the energetic flexibility of wastewater treatment plants.

Suggested Citation

  • Ali, Syed Muhammad Hassan & Lenzen, Manfred & Sack, Fabian & Yousefzadeh, Moslem, 2020. "Electricity generation and demand flexibility in wastewater treatment plants: Benefits for 100% renewable electricity grids," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:268:y:2020:i:c:s0306261920304724
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.114960
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261920304724
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2020.114960?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gu, Yifan & Li, Yue & Li, Xuyao & Luo, Pengzhou & Wang, Hongtao & Robinson, Zoe P. & Wang, Xin & Wu, Jiang & Li, Fengting, 2017. "The feasibility and challenges of energy self-sufficient wastewater treatment plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 1463-1475.
    2. Shen, Yanwen & Linville, Jessica L. & Urgun-Demirtas, Meltem & Mintz, Marianne M. & Snyder, Seth W., 2015. "An overview of biogas production and utilization at full-scale wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in the United States: Challenges and opportunities towards energy-neutral WWTPs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 346-362.
    3. Panepinto, Deborah & Fiore, Silvia & Zappone, Mariantonia & Genon, Giuseppe & Meucci, Lorenza, 2016. "Evaluation of the energy efficiency of a large wastewater treatment plant in Italy," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 404-411.
    4. Elliston, Ben & MacGill, Iain & Diesendorf, Mark, 2013. "Least cost 100% renewable electricity scenarios in the Australian National Electricity Market," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 270-282.
    5. Ashlynn S. Stillwell & David C. Hoppock & Michael E. Webber, 2010. "Energy Recovery from Wastewater Treatment Plants in the United States: A Case Study of the Energy-Water Nexus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(4), pages 1-18, April.
    6. Lenzen, Manfred & McBain, Bonnie & Trainer, Ted & Jütte, Silke & Rey-Lescure, Olivier & Huang, Jing, 2016. "Simulating low-carbon electricity supply for Australia," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 553-564.
    7. Basrawi, Mohamad Firdaus Bin & Yamada, Takanobu & Nakanishi, Kimio & Katsumata, Hideaki, 2012. "Analysis of the performances of biogas-fuelled micro gas turbine cogeneration systems (MGT-CGSs) in middle- and small-scale sewage treatment plants: Comparison of performances and optimization of MGTs," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 38(1), pages 291-304.
    8. Kirchem, Dana & Lynch, Muireann Á. & Bertsch, Valentin & Casey, Eoin, 2020. "Modelling demand response with process models and energy systems models: Potential applications for wastewater treatment within the energy-water nexus," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Al-Dahidi, Sameer & Alrbai, Mohammad & Al-Ghussain, Loiy & Alahmer, Ali, 2024. "Maximizing energy efficiency in wastewater treatment plants: A data-driven approach for waste heat recovery and an economic analysis using Organic Rankine Cycle and thermal energy storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 362(C).
    2. Roksana Yasmin & B. M. Ruhul Amin & Rakibuzzaman Shah & Andrew Barton, 2024. "A Survey of Commercial and Industrial Demand Response Flexibility with Energy Storage Systems and Renewable Energy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-41, January.
    3. Zhao, Mingzhe & Wang, Yimin & Wang, Xuebin & Chang, Jianxia & Chen, Yunhua & Zhou, Yong & Guo, Aijun, 2022. "Flexibility evaluation of wind-PV-hydro multi-energy complementary base considering the compensation ability of cascade hydropower stations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 315(C).
    4. Rosa M. Llácer-Iglesias & P. Amparo López-Jiménez & Modesto Pérez-Sánchez, 2021. "Energy Self-Sufficiency Aiming for Sustainable Wastewater Systems: Are All Options Being Explored?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-20, May.
    5. Strazzabosco, A. & Gruenhagen, J.H. & Cox, S., 2022. "A review of renewable energy practices in the Australian mining industry," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 187(C), pages 135-143.
    6. Henning Meschede & Paul Bertheau & Siavash Khalili & Christian Breyer, 2022. "A review of 100% renewable energy scenarios on islands," Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Energy and Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 11(6), November.
    7. Apollon, Wilgince & Kamaraj, Sathish-Kumar & Silos-Espino, Héctor & Perales-Segovia, Catarino & Valera-Montero, Luis L. & Maldonado-Ruelas, Víctor A. & Vázquez-Gutiérrez, Marco A. & Ortiz-Medina, Raúl, 2020. "Impact of Opuntia species plant bio-battery in a semi-arid environment: Demonstration of their applications," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    8. Liu, Qipeng & Li, Ran & Dereli, Recep Kaan & Flynn, Damian & Casey, Eoin, 2022. "Water resource recovery facilities as potential energy generation units and their dynamic economic dispatch," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 318(C).
    9. Strazzabosco, A. & Kenway, S.J. & Conrad, S.A. & Lant, P.A., 2021. "Renewable electricity generation in the Australian water industry: Lessons learned and challenges for the future," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    10. Laing, Harry & O'Malley, Chris & Browne, Anthony & Rutherford, Tony & Baines, Tony & Moore, Andrew & Black, Ken & Willis, Mark J., 2022. "Optimisation of energy usage and carbon emissions monitoring using MILP for an advanced anaerobic digester plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    11. Francisco M. Baena-Moreno & Isabel Malico & Isabel Paula Marques, 2021. "Promoting Sustainability: Wastewater Treatment Plants as a Source of Biomethane in Regions Far from a High-Pressure Grid. A Real Portuguese Case Study," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-17, August.
    12. Golzar, Farzin & Silveira, Semida, 2021. "Impact of wastewater heat recovery in buildings on the performance of centralized energy recovery – A case study of Stockholm," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 297(C).
    13. Golmohamadi, Hessam, 2022. "Demand-side management in industrial sector: A review of heavy industries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Strazzabosco, A. & Kenway, S.J. & Conrad, S.A. & Lant, P.A., 2021. "Renewable electricity generation in the Australian water industry: Lessons learned and challenges for the future," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 147(C).
    2. Yan, Peng & Shi, Hong-Xin & Chen, You-Peng & Gao, Xu & Fang, Fang & Guo, Jin-Song, 2020. "Optimization of recovery and utilization pathway of chemical energy from wastewater pollutants by a net-zero energy wastewater treatment model," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 133(C).
    3. Macintosh, C. & Astals, S. & Sembera, C. & Ertl, A. & Drewes, J.E. & Jensen, P.D. & Koch, K., 2019. "Successful strategies for increasing energy self-sufficiency at Grüneck wastewater treatment plant in Germany by food waste co-digestion and improved aeration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 242(C), pages 797-808.
    4. Guven, Huseyin & Ersahin, Mustafa Evren & Dereli, Recep Kaan & Ozgun, Hale & Isik, Isa & Ozturk, Izzet, 2019. "Energy recovery potential of anaerobic digestion of excess sludge from high-rate activated sludge systems co-treating municipal wastewater and food waste," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 172(C), pages 1027-1036.
    5. Luo, Li & Dzakpasu, Mawuli & Yang, Baichuan & Zhang, Wushou & Yang, Yahong & Wang, Xiaochang C., 2019. "A novel index of total oxygen demand for the comprehensive evaluation of energy consumption for urban wastewater treatment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 236(C), pages 253-261.
    6. Odabaş Baş, Gözde & Aydınalp Köksal, Merih, 2022. "Environmental and techno-economic analysis of the integration of biogas and solar power systems into urban wastewater treatment plants," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 579-597.
    7. Radini, Serena & Marinelli, Enrico & Akyol, Çağrı & Eusebi, Anna Laura & Vasilaki, Vasileia & Mancini, Adriano & Frontoni, Emanuele & Bischetti, Gian Battista & Gandolfi, Claudio & Katsou, Evina & Fat, 2021. "Urban water-energy-food-climate nexus in integrated wastewater and reuse systems: Cyber-physical framework and innovations," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    8. Aleksandra Szaja & Agnieszka Montusiewicz & Magdalena Lebiocka, 2021. "The Energetic Aspect of Organic Wastes Addition on Sewage Sludge Anaerobic Digestion: A Laboratory Investigation," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-12, September.
    9. Liu, Qipeng & Li, Ran & Dereli, Recep Kaan & Flynn, Damian & Casey, Eoin, 2022. "Water resource recovery facilities as potential energy generation units and their dynamic economic dispatch," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 318(C).
    10. Adam Masłoń & Joanna Czarnota & Paulina Szczyrba & Aleksandra Szaja & Joanna Szulżyk-Cieplak & Grzegorz Łagód, 2024. "Assessment of Energy Self-Sufficiency of Wastewater Treatment Plants—A Case Study from Poland," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-19, March.
    11. Keck, Felix & Jütte, Silke & Lenzen, Manfred & Li, Mengyu, 2022. "Assessment of two optimisation methods for renewable energy capacity expansion planning," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 306(PA).
    12. Mehdi Sharif Shourjeh & Przemysław Kowal & Jakub Drewnowski & Bartosz Szeląg & Aleksandra Szaja & Grzegorz Łagód, 2020. "Mutual Interaction between Temperature and DO Set Point on AOB and NOB Activity during Shortcut Nitrification in a Sequencing Batch Reactor in Terms of Energy Consumption Optimization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-21, November.
    13. Marzena Smol, 2023. "Circular Economy in Wastewater Treatment Plant—Water, Energy and Raw Materials Recovery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(9), pages 1-18, May.
    14. Nikolaos Tsalas & Spyridon K. Golfinopoulos & Stylianos Samios & Georgios Katsouras & Konstantinos Peroulis, 2024. "Optimization of Energy Consumption in a Wastewater Treatment Plant: An Overview," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-45, June.
    15. Xu, Jiuping & Zhao, Chuandang & Wang, Fengjuan & Yang, Guocan, 2022. "Industrial decarbonisation oriented distributed renewable generation towards wastewater treatment sector: Case from the Yangtze River Delta region in China," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 256(C).
    16. Michela Gallo & Desara Malluta & Adriana Del Borghi & Erica Gagliano, 2024. "A Critical Review on Methodologies for the Energy Benchmarking of Wastewater Treatment Plants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-18, February.
    17. Kirchem, Dana & Lynch, Muireann Á. & Bertsch, Valentin & Casey, Eoin, 2020. "Modelling demand response with process models and energy systems models: Potential applications for wastewater treatment within the energy-water nexus," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 260(C).
    18. Yin, Changkai & Shen, Yanwen & Zhu, Nanwen & Huang, Qiujie & Lou, Ziyang & Yuan, Haiping, 2018. "Anaerobic digestion of waste activated sludge with incineration bottom ash: Enhanced methane production and CO2 sequestration," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(C), pages 503-511.
    19. Keck, Felix & Lenzen, Manfred & Vassallo, Anthony & Li, Mengyu, 2019. "The impact of battery energy storage for renewable energy power grids in Australia," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 647-657.
    20. Diesendorf, Mark & Elliston, Ben, 2018. "The feasibility of 100% renewable electricity systems: A response to critics," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 318-330.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:268:y:2020:i:c:s0306261920304724. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.