PROCESS LEVEL ENERGY BENCHMARKING AS A TOOL TO IMPROVE THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANTS

摘要

As part of its ongoing energy efficiency program, SA Water benchmarked all of its plants based on their energy use. The wastewater treatment plant at Bird in Hand was identified as a priority for an in-depth process level review, which is presented in this study. Each process was compared to international benchmarks, with areas with great potential for improvement analysed in depth to identify operational improvements or infrastructure upgrades which would save energy. Across the plant 30% savings in electricity consumption and 43% in total energy costs were identified. The study confirmed the applicability of European benchmarks to Australian conditions, as all process energy exceedances were found to relate to process inefficiencies.