Our water and waste water management assets: 

a never-ending source for green energy

ResNRJwater tackles the challenge of improving the renewable energy production and consumption mix in NWE by addressing the unexploited potentials of the water and wastewater sector in urban and rural areas. 

Due to energy and climate crisis, NWE needs to increase its energy supply resilience, especially for the high-energy consuming water and wastewater infrastructures (wastewater treatment plants, pumping stations). In paradox, the spaces already occupied by the water and wastewater infrastructures (wwtp, sewers, retention basins, dykes, pumping stations, lakes) offer unexploited potentials for renewable energy sources production and use (solar/wind power, heat/cooling, green gas). 

Due to a balanced distribution across North West Europe, the wastewater treatment plants can also contribute to grid stabilisation. ResNRJwater aims to turn the water and wastewater infrastructures and related assets in North West Europe into energy hubs. Compared to now, those infrastructures will be more energy self-sufficient, provide renewable energy sources to NWE end-users and help stabilise energy grids. 

Expected results

By project end, waterboards and intermunicipalities in 4 areas (DE/Ruhr, BE/Flanders, NL/North-Holland, FR/Loire-Atlantique) can adopt a strategy to turn the water and wastewater infrastructures into energy hubs and related action plans for urban and rural North West Europe areas. Based on 7 pilots, they can uptake 3 validated technologies to facilitate the uptake of renewable energy sources in the water and wastewater sector, a smart energy management and storage system for a decentralised and resilient energy supply, and a concept for consumption of energy-surplus. 100 professionals in the sector increase their capacity. 

ResNRJwater takes a new approach to systematically exploit the renewable energy source potential of the distinct infrastructures of the water and wastewater sector.

Renewable energy potential (heat and power) from water and wastewater infrastructure is high. There is more to be exploited for renewable energy supply. For this ResNRJwater wants to provide and disseminate relevant knowledge.