Energy alternatives in large-scale wastewater treatment

Abstract

In my article, after describing the characteristics of recent wastewater treatment activity, I introduce different traditional and innovative energetic opportunities of the compulsory waste management activities at large-scale operational level, covering national and international examples. Furthermore, the wastewater-based biomethane production and the certain plant’s energy self-sufficiency are highlighted topics as well. In the former case, it is possible to utilize the wastewater-based biomethane as fuel (and even to operate own vehicle fleet), while the second one gives the opportunity for the internal usage of produced electricity and waste heat, which can also result in significant cost-savings. As an additional option, algae-based wastewater post treatment is presented, based on the conditions of a Hungarian wastewater treatment plant, which biogas production efficiency and thus energy self-sufficiency has developed favourably due to the technological improvements. These plants may have a twofold role in the future: they are responsible for the compulsory waste management activity and on the other hand they can serve as excellent raw material mines.
 JEL Code: Q25

Disruption Potential Assessment of the Power-to-Methane Technology

“…As there were more than 400 facilities with BGU to produce biomethane in 2015 worldwide [68], and even in Hungary there are two [69], one could argue that BGU is a more mature technology than P2M. This higher technology readiness level (TRL) that is associated with lower risks seemed to be an important factor for decisionmakers, as prudent risk management appeared as a strategic task, for example in the case of WWTPs [13].…”

Preferences and knowledge of farmers and internet-orientated population about renewable energy sources in Kosovo

“…Due to the use of these power plants, 129 deaths happened, with the impact on the highest costs -EUR 209 million [12], whereas due to the decrease in productivity because of limited activity days and work days lost as a result of being sick amounted represented to EUR 6.4 million. Although sewage sludge and agricultural biogas plants have many advantages, due to the high investment costs [13], they have no significance in Kosovar electricity production.…”

Change management models induced by disruptive energy technology development

“…The table does not contain every possible technology and every aspect of potential competitive advantages of them, because it is built on empirical data from the field, the evaluation aspects of the interviewees, but it was iterated with scientific literature: a) In case of biogas plants both in an agricultural environment and at WWTPs, biogas upgrading (BGU) can be considered as a competing technology to produce renewable gas (biomethane). As there were more than 400 facilities with BGU to produce biomethane in 2015 worldwide (Angelidaki, et al, 2018), and even in Hungary there are two (Gabnai, 2017), one could argue that BGU is a more mature technology than P2M. This higher technology readiness level (TRL) which is associated with lower risks, seemed to be an important factor for decision-makers, as prudent risk management appeared as a strategic task, especially in the case of WWTPs.…”