What Happened?
The Sheboygan Wastewater Treatment Plant recently adopted energy-saving measures through modernization of equipment and controls to drive down costs and reduce its carbon footprint.
So What?
Cities and municipalities nationwide are implementing energy-efficient solutions to lower energy usage in water and wastewater systems, which typically account for a large percentage of a community’s total energy bill.
Sheboygan partnered with a local electric utility to install micro-turbines in a heat and power system combination that runs off biogas, a byproduct of the wastewater treatment process, to produce 2,300 MV of electricity. The city also replaced many of its motors to reduce consumption by 157,000 kWh. Upgrades to advanced blowers and dissolved oxygen controls cost Sheboygan $901,000 in implementation costs for the first year, followed by annual savings of $63,889. In adopting the eco-friendly solutions, the city’s plant now uses 20 percent less energy than it did in 2003 and is up to 90 percent energy self-sufficiency, totaling $78,000 in savings annually from heat and $5,300 in motor efficiency.
When local governments target areas of energy overconsumption or wasteful use in the wastewater and water treatment facilities where behavior is controllable, communities can enjoy significant savings that will free up taxpayer dollars for other projects.
Strategize With Stakeholders
In putting together an energy-efficiency plan, municipalities must engage the right stakeholders to ensure the project is properly designed, implemented and evaluated for optimal returns. The key stakeholders include:
- Energy program leaders: Call on energy experts and operations personnel to tie in energy initiatives with local government policies and goals.
- Local government: Municipality leaders can develop multi-sector environmental programs focused on energy-efficiency to ensure each project is part of a larger picture for long-term gains.
- Utility management: Utility professionals understand how energy efficiency policies and projects work with existing goals and strategies in communities, and know how to communicate new ideas to the right personnel.
From there, leaders can develop data collection, benchmarking and goal-setting strategies to raise awareness of the importance of the project to members of the community. The energy-efficiency plan and projections should be clearly communicated to participating entities, and public sector achievements should be rewarded with financial incentives.
Tech Innovations
To help municipalities improve wastewater treatment plant and sewer network efficiency, private robotics companies have developed gadgets to inspect pipes and systems for damages to prevent wasteful energy usage or potential health hazards. With aging wastewater treatment facilities across the country in need of repairs, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency predicts more than $150 billion will be spent on upgrades and maintenance over the next 20 years. The use of robotic cameras and inspector solutions will help municipalities gauge the scope of revamping projects more effectively, particularly in pipes hundreds of feet below the ground. The robotics can save time and money, accelerating repairs and increasing access to significant savings from more efficient operations.
Other Water Projects
Many cities are finding ways to free up capital with innovations in water networks and sewer pipes, underscoring the value of eco-friendly technology.