Mapping Thermal Energy Resource Potentials from Wastewater Treatment Plants

Sustainability

Georg Neugebauer²  Florian Kretschmer³  René Kollmann¹  Michael Narodoslawsky¹  Thomas Ertl³  Gernot Stoeglehner² 

[1] Institute of Process and Particle Engineering, Graz University of Technology, Inffeldgasse 13/3, 8010 Graz, Austria; E-Mails:;Institute of Spatial Planning and Rural Development, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Peter-Jordan-Straße 82, 1190 Vienna, Austria; E-Mail:;Institute of Sanitary Engineering and Water Pollution Control, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, Muthgasse 18, 1190 Vienna, Austria; E-Mails:

关键词: wastewater energy;    heat recovery;    spatial planning;    energy planning;    wastewater treatment plant;    climate change mitigation;    renewable energy;    life-cycle impact assessment;   

DOI  :  10.3390/su71012988

来源: mdpi

【 摘 要 】

Wastewater heat recovery via heat exchangers and heat pumps constitutes an environmentally friendly, approved and economically competitive, but often underestimated technology. By introducing the spatial dimension in feasibility studies, the results of calculations change considerably. This paper presents a methodology to estimate thermal energy resource potentials of wastewater treatment plants taking spatial contexts into account. In close proximity to settlement areas, wastewater energy can ideally be applied for heating in mixed-function areas, which very likely have a continuous heat demand and allow for an increased amount of full-load hours compared to most single-use areas. For the Austrian case, it is demonstrated that the proposed methodology leads to feasible results and that the suggested technology might reduce up to 17% of the Austrian global warming potential of room heating. The method is transferrable to other countries as the input data and calculation formula are made available. A broad application of wastewater energy with regard to spatial structures and spatial development potentials can lead to (1) increasing energy efficiency by using a maximum of waste heat and (2) a significant reduction of (fossil) energy consumption which results in a considerable reduction of the global warming potential of the heat supply (GWP) if electricity from renewables is used for the operation of heat pumps.

【 授权许可】

CC BY   
© 2015 by the authors; licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.