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Case Studies in Energy Management: Experience From Germany
Author(s) -
Voltz Thomas J.,
Grischek Thomas,
Musche Fabian
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
journal ‐ american water works association
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.466
H-Index - 74
eISSN - 1551-8833
pISSN - 0003-150X
DOI - 10.5942/jawwa.2017.109.0123
Subject(s) - payback period , efficient energy use , renewable energy , electricity , energy management , environmental economics , energy intensity , environmental science , energy (signal processing) , operations management , engineering , production (economics) , economics , statistics , electrical engineering , mathematics , macroeconomics
The estimated potential for long‐term energy‐efficiency improvement of water/wastewater utilities (WWUs) ranges from 10 to 30%. Energy efficiency measures generally have short payback periods and are more economical than adding renewable energy generation. This article presents experience gained from working with German WWUs on energy efficiency since 2013, focusing on six case studies: (1) making full use of available energy use data, (2) reducing costs by avoiding demand spikes and optimizing electricity contracts, (3) improving the efficiency of over‐dimensioned booster station pumps, (4) reducing energy use for space heating at a water treatment plant, (5) replacing pressure‐reducing valves with turbines to make use of excess hydraulic capacity, and (6) avoiding energy waste of wastewater treatment plant blowers by keeping oxygen sensors properly calibrated. The main partner WWU achieved a 13% improvement in energy efficiency after less than two years of focused energy management, with an average payback period per measure of 1.2 years.