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OBJECTIVES

LIFE LESSWATT aims to target both the environmental issues related to the energy consumption of WRRFs and their direct GHG emissions. The project will develop an innovative tool for assessing and minimizing both direct and indirect contributions of aerated compartments in WRRFs to the facility’s overall carbon footprint. This tool incorporates two innovative elements: the LESSDRONE, an automated, wireless and self-moving device for monitoring Oxygen Transfer Efficiency (OTE) and GHG emissions under normal operating conditions; and a model-based user-friendly tool (protocol) for converting complex information into concrete actions aimed at minimizing the carbon footprint. The tool’s effectiveness will be demonstrated and validated in the WRRFs of tannery CUOIODEPUR and in five other plants, three in Italy and two in the Netherlands.

EXPECTED RESULTS

The main outcome will be a tool for assessing and minimizing the overall GHG emissions due to aerobic biological wastewater treatment in the tannery plant of CUOIODEPUR with expected savings in energy for aeration in the range of 10-25%.

In the six pilot wastewater treatment plants where the protocol will be applied, it is expected to achieve:

  • Potential energy saving of about 9 800 000 kWh/y and 4 500 tCO2eq/y;
  • Increased aeration efficiency by 10-30%;
  • Reductions of 10-30% in indirect GHGs emissions due to aeration;
  • Improved reliability of GHGs emission inventories;
  • Considerable reduction of costs for water services; and
  • A business plan for the commercialization of the prototype and the protocol.