Page 12 - European Energy Innovation magazine - spring 2023 edition

Spring 2023 European Energy Innovation
12 WATER-ENERGY

The water-energy nexus

Connecting water saving, energy efficiency and the reduction of emissions.

By Monica Frassoni (pictured), President, European Alliance to Save Energy (EU-ASE)

ater requires energy. context, nature-based solutions policy developments are currently
Each time we abstract, for decentralised stormwater underway.
move, clean, heat and management such as green roofs and
Wcool water we need green spaces in urban areas promote The revision of the EU’s Energy
energy. And when we generate energy, natural water retention and detention Efficiency Directive, currently in
we need water. Water and energy are reducing runoff, sewage overflow its last phase of negotiations, will
probably two of the most essential, and the energy cost related to the hopefully acknowledge the water-
interlinked, and precious resources treatment of increasingly big quantity energy nexus and encourage
in our daily lives. In our current of rainwater. These are mature and industry to monitor water and energy
climate and energy crisis unleashing proven technologies that deliver consumption and assess water
the potential of the water-energy energy savings. efficiency opportunities as part of
nexus will drive substantial water and their energy audits. The legislators
energy savings, reducing emissions Other areas where the nexus could have been much more
and increase the competitiveness of holds the potential to generate ambitious but the Directive is a step
European industry. The great thing is large-scale energy and water in the right direction.
that we already have the technologies savings is manufacturing, energy
and solutions to simultaneously save and agriculture sector. Water is The revision of the Urban Waste
water and energy. critical to industrial production. Water Treatment directive is following
There are major economic sectors its ordinary legislative process. The
We can, for example, reduce ranging from beverage and food European Commission proposal
the energy needs and optimise processing to automotive, farming, has addressed the issue. More will
the consumption of wastewater chemical and energy production have to be done to ensure that the
treatment plants deploying digital in which water is indispensable. application of the ‘Energy Efficiency
tools such as artificial intelligence, With existing technologies, we can First' principle is the first step on
cloud solutions, advanced address the pressing issue of water the path to energy neutrality of
software and connected sensors. scarcity promoting water reuse waste water treatment plants by
Data transparency and advanced techniques. Again, digitalisation plays 2040. Increased energy efficiency
data analytics allow for a holistic an important role to ensure that can drastically reduce the facilities’
management of wastewater water and energy efficiencies help energy needs and accelerating
collection and treatment systems production processes and increase the integration of renewable
resulting in improved treatment competitiveness thanks to costs energy sources. Moreover, treated
effectiveness, reduced failure of reductions while help mitigating wastewater carries a valuable
infrastructure and leakages, limited climate change. source of renewable energy in the
overflows of the sewer system form of waste heat that can be
and reduced capital investment A strong policy framework is needed recovered. The proposal introduces
requirements into unnecessary new to incentivise water and energy also the obligation to establish
infrastructure development and efficiency and enable the deployment locally integrated urban wastewater
energy consumption. at scale of these solutions. The management plans to tackle urban
water-energy nexus should be runoff and storm water overflow
Climate change is the cause of more better reflected in legislation, and suggesting prioritising preventive
and more extreme precipitations. lawmakers should fully consider measures promoting natural water
Impervious surfaces in urban areas the benefits stemming from retention, and measures increasing
reduces water infiltration putting water efficiency as a key driver to green spaces over the creation
enormous pressure on the urban delivering energy savings. At the of new infrastructures. There are
wastewater infrastructure and European Alliance to Save Energy certainly synergies to exploit with
increasing energy consumption we have pioneered the policy the recent proposal of a Nature
of treatment facilities. In this debate around this topic and several Restoration law that proposes

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