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Opportunities for Energy Improvements in Municipal Water and Wastewater Treatment Plants in New York StateDue to changing effluent treatment standards, technology advancements, heightened security concerns, and capacity constraints, most municipalities will be forced to make a significant investment in their water and wastewater treatment infrastructure in the near future. NYSERDA has recently contracted with Malcolm Pirnie, Inc., and its sub-consultant Strategic Power Management, LLC, to characterize and assess the energy consumption and efficiency of the water and wastewater sector within New York State. In addition to NYSERDA's own internal resources, an Advisory Group made up of representatives from water and wastewater utilities from across the State, professional organizations, and regulatory agencies in both the energy and environmental arenas has been formed to provide input throughout the study period. Members of this group represent the New York State American Water Works Association, New York Water Environment Association, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC), New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH), New York City Department of Environmental Protection (NYCDEP), New York Power Authority (NYPA), New York Public Service Commission (PSC), American Council for an Energy Efficient Economy (ACEEE), EPA Combined Heat and Power Partnership , and Consortium for Energy Efficiency (CEE). The objectives of the study are to:
Surveys mailed to water and wastewater treatment facilities will be the primary mechanism for gathering the information needed for this study. This information will be supplemented with publicly available data including the NYSDEC Descriptive Data for Wastewater Treatment Facilities, Permit Compliance System Data (PCS), and some available State Drinking Water Information System (SDWIS) data. The survey will be sent to all wastewater treatment facilities in New York State and all large water supply systems that serve a population greater than 1,000 people, as well as a representative sample of small water systems. In addition, a representative sample of municipalities that are solely responsible for the collection and conveyance of wastewater will be surveyed to assess the energy consumption and cost for wastewater collection. The information from the completed surveys will be compiled and a statewide baseline will be developed for the water and wastewater sector. In addition, the data collected will be used to complete the specific tasks identified below. TRENDS AND FORECASTSTrends and forecasted changes anticipated within the water and wastewater treatment sector and energy market in the near- (1 to 2 years) and mid-term (5-10 years) will be evaluated to determine their potential energy impact on energy use. Regional planning commissions, regulators, and representatives from different facets of the water, wastewater and energy sectors will be contacted to identify and describe the significant proposed regulatory actions and anticipated technological advancements. OPPORTUNITIES FOR ENERGY IMPROVEMENTSa) Peak Demand Reduction Opportunities. A n aggregate load shape will be developed for the larger treatment facilities responding to the survey. This load shape will be segregated into on- and off-peak hours, and then compared to those of the New York Control Area to identify coincident peaks. Several of these facilities will be contacted to identify the manner in which their on-site generators are operated, whether or not they participate in peak demand reduction programs, and any perceived or actual barriers to participation or involvement in these programs. The feasibility of shifting or reducing coincident load at these facilities, implementing peak reduction measures, and the potential energy savings by implementing peak reduction measures will be investigated. At a minimum, the following specific measures will be explored:
Screening criteria will be developed for use by treatment facilities to assess the feasibility of implementing peak demand reduction measures. Economics, power reliability, and other factors, that may significantly affect the viability of a distributed generation (DG) or Combined Heat and Power (CHP) application will be considered. b) Biogas Production and Utilization. The NYSDEC's 2004 Descriptive Data of Wastewater Treatment Plants, information collected as part of the survey, and other relevant sources, will be utilized to identify those facilities that currently employ anaerobic sludge digestion, and to estimate the untapped biogas energy generation potential across the sector. Screening criteria will be developed for use by wastewater treatment facilities to assess the feasibility of biogas recovery and reuse at their facilities for DG or CHP applications. Criteria will include economics, power reliability, planned construction or increased capacity needs, treatment processes, and other factors, that may significantly affect the viability of a DG or CHP application. c) Upstream Pretreatment Opportunities. Wastewater treatment facilitie s that currently employ pretreatment of high-strength organic wastewater will be contacted to obtain additional information on the characteristics of the wastewater treated, the pretreatment technologies used, impacts of pretreatment on the energy consumed within these treatment facilities, and the potential economic impact to ratepayers of these utilities. Wastewater treatment facilitie s that have investigated pretreatment of high-strength organic wastewater, but have decided not to implement these measures will also be contacted to identify the reasons why that decision was made. Screening criteria will be developed to assist wastewater treatment facilities and major food waste generators in evaluating the feasibility of pretreatment and in identifying the most appropriate pretreatment technology. d) Water Conservation Opportunities. The completed surveys supplemented by Annual Water Quality Reports will be used to estimate the volume of unaccounted-for water for water systems. A comparison of supply-side water conservation measures available to water utilities and demand-side measures available to consumers will be developed. In addition, an order of magnitude estimate of the volume of water that could be conserved, as well as screening criteria to assist in determining appropriate conservation measures will be provided. e) Other Energy Efficiency and Energy Production Opportunities. NYSERDA published a report in 1995 entitled Wastewater Treatment and Sludge Management. This study will summarize and expand on the key energy conservation measures (ECMs) identified in the 1995 report. An updated and expanded list of relevant ECMs will be developed based on technology performance to date, current market conditions, regulatory trends, newly available technologies and increased energy/growth demands. The updated list will also include ECMs applicable to water treatment facilities/processes, wastewater collection, and water distribution, whereas the 1995 report focused solely on wastewater treatment. INSTITUTIONAL DRIVERS AND BARRIERS/SOLUTIONSRegulatory personnel will be contacted to identify regulatory requirements and trends that may affect participation in energy efficiency programs, and to identify proposed changes to these requirements. Interviews will be conducted with treatment facility managers from both large and small facilities to discuss the perceived drivers and barriers (institutional and otherwise) to participation in energy efficiency programs, as well as solutions to overcome the barriers, if applicable. The report will also identify conflicts between current incentives/programs and regulatory requirements. EXPLORE POTENTIAL NEW INITIATIVES AND DELIVERY MECHANISMSExisting energy efficiency incentives/programs will be evaluated with the information gathered during this study, to identify potential new initiatives and delivery mechanisms to enhance efficiency in the municipal water and wastewater treatment sector. |
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