Energy efficiency in wastewater treatment plants: A framework for benchmarking method selection and application

Area of Science:

• Environmental Engineering
• Water Resource Management
• Energy Efficiency

Background:

• Wastewater utilities generate extensive data for urban wastewater management.
• Data analysis can reveal process insights and improve wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) performance.
• Improving energy efficiency in WWTPs is complex, involving multiple stakeholders and data types.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify the requirements of common benchmarking methods for WWTP energy efficiency analysis.
• To provide a framework for selecting appropriate benchmarking methods based on data, resources, and objectives.
• To assist water sector stakeholders in improving energy efficiency through data-driven insights.

Main Methods:

• Decomposition of inefficiency to link elements with appropriate quantification and benchmarking methods.
• Analysis of data, resource, complexity, and information requirements for common benchmarking techniques.
• Development of a framework to guide the selection of suitable benchmarking methods.

Main Results:

• Common benchmarking methods have varying data, resource, and complexity requirements.
• A systematic approach is needed to match methods with available data and stakeholder objectives.
• The proposed framework links data, methods, and actors for effective energy efficiency assessment.

Conclusions:

• Selecting the right benchmarking method is crucial for accurately assessing and improving WWTP energy efficiency.
• Integrating data analysis, appropriate methods, and stakeholder collaboration is key to achieving energy savings.
• The study provides guidelines to help utilities optimize energy consumption and operational performance.