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The Possible Roles of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Sector Coupling

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  • Michael Schäfer

    (Institute Water Infrastructure Resources, University of Kaiserslautern, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany)

  • Oliver Gretzschel

    (Institute Water Infrastructure Resources, University of Kaiserslautern, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany)

  • Heidrun Steinmetz

    (Department for Resource Efficient Wastewater Technology, University of Kaiserslautern, D-67663 Kaiserslautern, Germany)

Abstract

The development of a power system based on high shares of renewable energy sources puts high demands on power grids and the remaining controllable power generation plants, load management and the storage of energy. To reach climate protection goals and a significant reduction of CO 2 , surplus energies from fluctuating renewables have to be used to defossilize not only the power production sector but the mobility, heat and industry sectors as well, which is called sector coupling. In this article, the role of wastewater treatment plants by means of sector coupling is pictured, discussed and evaluated. The results show significant synergies—for example, using electrical surplus energy to produce hydrogen and oxygen with an electrolyzer to use them for long-term storage and enhancing purification processes on the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP). Furthermore, biofuels and storable methane gas can be produced or integrate the WWTP into a local heating network. An interconnection in many fields of different research sectors are given and show that a practical utilization is possible and reasonable for WWTPs to contribute with sustainable energy concepts to defossilization.

Suggested Citation

  • Michael Schäfer & Oliver Gretzschel & Heidrun Steinmetz, 2020. "The Possible Roles of Wastewater Treatment Plants in Sector Coupling," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-20, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:8:p:2088-:d:348630
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Joseph Tauber & Andreas Ramsbacher & Karl Svardal & Jörg Krampe, 2021. "Energetic Potential for Biological Methanation in Anaerobic Sewage Sludge Digesters in Austria," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(20), pages 1-17, October.
    3. Diego Teixeira Michalovicz & Patricia Bilotta, 2023. "Impact of a methane emission tax on circular economy scenarios in small wastewater treatment plants," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 25(7), pages 6575-6589, July.
    4. Ihsan Hamawand, 2023. "Energy Consumption in Water/Wastewater Treatment Industry—Optimisation Potentials," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(5), pages 1-3, March.
    5. Zoltán Csedő & Botond Sinóros-Szabó & Máté Zavarkó, 2020. "Seasonal Energy Storage Potential Assessment of WWTPs with Power-to-Methane Technology," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-21, September.
    6. Matthias Maldet & Daniel Schwabeneder & Georg Lettner & Christoph Loschan & Carlo Corinaldesi & Hans Auer, 2022. "Beyond Traditional Energy Sector Coupling: Conserving and Efficient Use of Local Resources," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-36, June.
    7. Oliver Gretzschel & Michael Schäfer & Heidrun Steinmetz & Erich Pick & Kim Kanitz & Stefan Krieger, 2020. "Advanced Wastewater Treatment to Eliminate Organic Micropollutants in Wastewater Treatment Plants in Combination with Energy-Efficient Electrolysis at WWTP Mainz," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-28, July.
    8. Adam Starowicz & Marcin Zieliński & Paulina Rusanowska & Marcin Dębowski, 2023. "Microbial Fuel Cell Performance Boost through the Use of Graphene and Its Modifications—Review," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-13, January.
    9. Peter Lichtenwoehrer & Lore Abart-Heriszt & Florian Kretschmer & Franz Suppan & Gernot Stoeglehner & Georg Neugebauer, 2021. "Evaluating Spatial Interdependencies of Sector Coupling Using Spatiotemporal Modelling," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-23, February.

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