FOUR STEPS to recovering heat energy from wastewater

The Summer 2009 issue of Watermark Magazine includes a feature article on heat recovery from wastewater.

As BC’s municipalities work to reduce their carbon emissions, municipal wastewater is gaining attention as a potential new source of energy and reclaimed water.

Because virtually every populated area has wastewater collection and treatment systems and wastewater temperatures generally range between 10ºC and 15ºC in the winter and over 20ºC in the summer, heat
recovery from wastewater is an attractive option for reducing long-term energy costs and displacing fossil fuels as a heat source in homes and businesses.

Wastewater heat recovery requires a large amount of capital investment when compared with conventional energy sources. Nevertheless, it is possible to realize a payback in less than ten years by reducing natural gas and electricity use. To implement a successful project, several key questions need to be answered:

1. Where are the energy resources, and how much energy is
   available?
2. Once the heat is recovered, how can it best be used?
3. What kind of systems and infrastructure are required for this
   project?
4. How much will it cost to implement, and how will it be
   financed?

Watermark Magazine is published by the British Columbia Water & Waste Association (BCWWA). To download a copy of the article, click on Four Steps to Heat Energy Recovery from Wastewater.

Posted October 2009