Wastewater plants in the North and Galicia region save more than 20% in energy consumption with the help of INEGI
13-04-2020
Energy savings of 20 to 25%, with a potential savings of up to 3.5 million euros, and a reduction of greenhouse gases up to 12,500t per year. These are the numbers that reflect the results achieved under the AQUALITRANS project, which aimed to make several WWTP (Wastewater Treatment Plants) in the Euroregion North of Portugal-Galicia more efficient in terms of energy consumption and reduce their environmental footprint.
To get here, it was necessary to carry out the energy characterization of the WWTPs to determine the processes with the highest energy weight and identify energy waste and opportunities for improvement. Task that, in Portugal, fell to the INEGI team.
João Pedro Cardoso, a member of the project team, says that "we identified the main consumers, which we found to be the aeration equipment associated with biological treatment (average value of 58%), inlet pumping (9%, if any), deodorization (8%, when available) and sludge treatment equipment (6%) ".
Based on this information, “looking at the inefficiencies found, we defined a set of measures for each of the facilities that participated in the pilot projects”, he adds. One of them was the Sobreiras WWTP, managed by Águas do Porto, which achieved a reduction of around 15% in consumption, that is, 452,000 kWh per year.
Here, INEGIs collaboration was also relevant, namely in the assessment of the energy, environmental, operational and economic benefits of the measures, such as the installation of a new more efficient initial pumping group with frequency inverters, and the installation of a system integrated energy consumption monitoring.
KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLIGENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES SHARED WITH THE SECTOR
The project also included the creation of three IT tools that will facilitate the replication of the success achieved in the Euroregion. The tools, available HERE will help operators evaluate and compare their energy consumption with similar WWTP, and identify beneficial measures according to the environmental, energy, economic and technological criteria of the facilities.
In order to transfer knowledge and enhance the replication of these good practices, four training sessions were held for managers and operators of wastewater treatment plants. One of them took place at INEGI, with the participation of about 20 professionals.
The project ended earlier this year, and the conclusion was marked by the signing of a collaboration protocol between the partners - Augas de Galicia, INEGI, Águas do Porto, Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA) and Fundación Instituto Tecnológico de Galicia (ITG) - to ensure cooperation and knowledge sharing and future results.
The recently concluded AQUALITRANS project started in 2017 and ended in 2020, having been financed under the Interreg VA Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020 program, which promotes cross-border cooperation projects.
To get here, it was necessary to carry out the energy characterization of the WWTPs to determine the processes with the highest energy weight and identify energy waste and opportunities for improvement. Task that, in Portugal, fell to the INEGI team.
João Pedro Cardoso, a member of the project team, says that "we identified the main consumers, which we found to be the aeration equipment associated with biological treatment (average value of 58%), inlet pumping (9%, if any), deodorization (8%, when available) and sludge treatment equipment (6%) ".
Based on this information, “looking at the inefficiencies found, we defined a set of measures for each of the facilities that participated in the pilot projects”, he adds. One of them was the Sobreiras WWTP, managed by Águas do Porto, which achieved a reduction of around 15% in consumption, that is, 452,000 kWh per year.
Here, INEGIs collaboration was also relevant, namely in the assessment of the energy, environmental, operational and economic benefits of the measures, such as the installation of a new more efficient initial pumping group with frequency inverters, and the installation of a system integrated energy consumption monitoring.
KNOWLEDGE AND INTELLIGENT MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES SHARED WITH THE SECTOR
The project also included the creation of three IT tools that will facilitate the replication of the success achieved in the Euroregion. The tools, available HERE will help operators evaluate and compare their energy consumption with similar WWTP, and identify beneficial measures according to the environmental, energy, economic and technological criteria of the facilities.
In order to transfer knowledge and enhance the replication of these good practices, four training sessions were held for managers and operators of wastewater treatment plants. One of them took place at INEGI, with the participation of about 20 professionals.
The project ended earlier this year, and the conclusion was marked by the signing of a collaboration protocol between the partners - Augas de Galicia, INEGI, Águas do Porto, Instituto Enerxético de Galicia (INEGA) and Fundación Instituto Tecnológico de Galicia (ITG) - to ensure cooperation and knowledge sharing and future results.
The recently concluded AQUALITRANS project started in 2017 and ended in 2020, having been financed under the Interreg VA Spain-Portugal (POCTEP) 2014-2020 program, which promotes cross-border cooperation projects.
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