Techneau, back to the future for water treatment research
During the last WssTP workshop of the Pilot Programme “Urban Areas” held in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, on the 15th March 2010, Theo van den Hoven presented the outcomes of the TECHNEAU workshop organized on the 17th June 2009 during the TECHNEAU conference 'Safe Drinking Water from Source to Tap – State of the Art and Perspectives' in Maastricht . The aim was to explore research gaps to be taken on board by the WSSTP research agenda concerning drinking water treatment.
Challenges for the
water sector have been identified to be the emerging pollutants and
pathogens, the need for new water resources and for an improvement of
energy efficiency. R&D needs concerning water treatment were defined
in the areas of treatment process, distribution system, resource
management and water quality issues.
The TECHNEAU
project was initiated in 2006 under the Framework Programme 6 with the
support of the WssTP. Its main objective is to develop adaptive supply
system options as well as new and improved monitoring technologies and
management practices. It is a good example of the interaction between
research project and the WssTP. The feedback obtained from such projects
is integrated by the WssTP to set up recommendations for the European
Commission.
Launched for a 5 year
period with a total budget of 19 M € (13,2 m € from EC funding) the
project involves 9 universities, 12 research centers and 8 technology
providers. The question of the continuing TECHNEAU was mentioned during
the presentation as the project is coming to its end. The WssTP could
perhaps make the link between different partners to continue this
project.
For more information visit: www.techneau.org
Contact us: scientific@wsstp.eu
Theo van den Hoven: theo.van.den.hoven@kwrwater.nl
Scientific Focus
The Energy Factory
During the last WssTP workshop on the
Task Force “Water and Energy” held in Brussels, on the 11th February, Jan-Evert
van Veldhoven from the Water Board De Dommel , the
Netherlands, presented the Dutch water boards “Energy Factory”
programme. The programme aims to develop energy positive wastewater treatment plants.
The “Energy Factory”, seeing wastewater as a resource
The project is based on production,
R&D and marketing pillars. Technically the principle of the
energy factory is relatively simple, the sludge from the wastewater
treated in an activated sludge process is collected in a digester.
In the digester it ferments and biogas is produced, which can
finally be used as a local energy resource. The case study of the
Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) of Tilburg North (375,000 P.E., our picture above)
illustrates the technical concept and the cooperation needed in this
project. The Energy factory was the winner of the Green Pearl 2009.
The Green Pearl 2009 is an initiative of the Institute Blomberg and is
part of the knowledge and networking platform to accelerate sustainable
“green” climate projects.
The project demonstrates that an energy neutral WWTPs is already
possible with existing technology. However, energy positive plants
still need further research to generate even more energy from
wastewater. So the WWTP could not only become energy neutral but also
deliver energy to the surrounding (giving back the energy to the people
that are producing wastewater). Even if the energy used by wastewater
treatment represents only a few percent of the society’s total energetic
bill, such research could lead to promising developments. With this
concept Waterboards in the Netherlands could become the largest
producers of green energy.
