IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v14y2021i7p1994-d530164.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

European Union Green Deal and the Opportunity Cost of Wastewater Treatment Projects

Author

Listed:
  • Jose M. Vindel

    (Centro de Investigaciones Energéticas, Medioambientales y Tecnológicas (CIEMAT), Energy Department, Renewable Energy Division, Avda. Complutense 40, 28040 Madrid, Spain)

  • Estrella Trincado

    (Department of Applied Economics, Structure and History, Faculty of Economics and Business, Campus de Somosaguas, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Pozuelo de Alarcón s/n, 28223 Madrid, Spain)

  • Antonio Sánchez-Bayón

    (Department of Business Economics (ADO), Applied Economics II and Fundamentals of Economic Analysis, Social and Legal Sciences School, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Paseo de Artilleros s/n, 28033 Madrid, Spain)

Abstract

The European Union Green Deal aims at curbing greenhouse gas emissions and introducing clean energy production. But to achieve energy efficiency, the opportunity cost of different energies must be assessed. In this article, two different energy self-sufficient systems for wastewater treatment are compared. On the one hand, high-rate algal ponds system (HRAP) is considered; on the other hand, a conventional activated sludge system (AS) which uses photovoltaic power (PV) is studied. The paper offers a viability analysis of both systems based on the capacity to satisfy their energetic consumption. This viability analysis, along with the opportunity cost study, will be used in the article to compare these two projects devoted to the treatment of wastewater. In order to assess viability, the probability of not achieving the energy consumption threshold at least one day is studied. The results point that the AS+PV system self-sufficiency is achieved with much lesser land requirements than the HRAP system (for the former, less than 6500 m 2 , for the latter 40,000 m 2 ). However, the important AS capital cost makes still the HRAP system more economic, although storage provides a great advantage for using the AS+PV in locations where a lot of irradiance is available.

Suggested Citation

  • Jose M. Vindel & Estrella Trincado & Antonio Sánchez-Bayón, 2021. "European Union Green Deal and the Opportunity Cost of Wastewater Treatment Projects," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-18, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:7:p:1994-:d:530164
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/7/1994/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/7/1994/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gu, Yifan & Li, Yue & Li, Xuyao & Luo, Pengzhou & Wang, Hongtao & Robinson, Zoe P. & Wang, Xin & Wu, Jiang & Li, Fengting, 2017. "The feasibility and challenges of energy self-sufficient wastewater treatment plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 204(C), pages 1463-1475.
    2. Ramos Tercero, Elia Armandina & Sforza, Eleonora & Bertucco, Alberto, 2013. "Energy profitability analysis for microalgal biocrude production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 60(C), pages 373-379.
    3. Riccardo De-Luca & Fabrizio Bezzo & Quentin Béchet & Olivier Bernard, 2019. "Meteorological Data-Based Optimal Control Strategy for Microalgae Cultivation in Open Pond Systems," Complexity, Hindawi, vol. 2019, pages 1-12, January.
    4. Maity, Jyoti Prakash & Hou, Chia-Peng & Majumder, Dip & Bundschuh, Jochen & Kulp, Thomas R. & Chen, Chien-Yen & Chuang, Lu-Te & Nathan Chen, Ching-Nen & Jean, Jiin-Shuh & Yang, Tsui-Chu & Chen, Chien-, 2014. "The production of biofuel and bioelectricity associated with wastewater treatment by green algae," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 94-103.
    5. ZhenHua Li & ZhiHong Zou & LiPing Wang, 2019. "Analysis and Forecasting of the Energy Consumption in Wastewater Treatment Plant," Mathematical Problems in Engineering, Hindawi, vol. 2019, pages 1-8, July.
    6. Barzegkar-Ntovom, Georgios A. & Chatzigeorgiou, Nikolas G. & Nousdilis, Angelos I. & Vomva, Styliani A. & Kryonidis, Georgios C. & Kontis, Eleftherios O. & Georghiou, George E. & Christoforidis, Georg, 2020. "Assessing the viability of battery energy storage systems coupled with photovoltaics under a pure self-consumption scheme," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 152(C), pages 1302-1309.
    7. Hoppmann, Joern & Volland, Jonas & Schmidt, Tobias S. & Hoffmann, Volker H., 2014. "The economic viability of battery storage for residential solar photovoltaic systems – A review and a simulation model," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 1101-1118.
    8. Litjens, G.B.M.A. & Worrell, E. & van Sark, W.G.J.H.M., 2018. "Economic benefits of combining self-consumption enhancement with frequency restoration reserves provision by photovoltaic-battery systems," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C), pages 172-187.
    9. Bernard Knutel & Anna Pierzyńska & Marcin Dębowski & Przemysław Bukowski & Arkadiusz Dyjakon, 2020. "Assessment of Energy Storage from Photovoltaic Installations in Poland Using Batteries or Hydrogen," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-16, August.
    10. Jussi Lankoski & Markku Ollikainen, 2008. "Bioenergy crop production and climate policies: a von Thunen model and the case of reed canary grass in Finland," European Review of Agricultural Economics, Oxford University Press and the European Agricultural and Applied Economics Publications Foundation, vol. 35(4), pages 519-546, December.
    11. Andrea G. Capodaglio & Gustaf Olsson, 2019. "Energy Issues in Sustainable Urban Wastewater Management: Use, Demand Reduction and Recovery in the Urban Water Cycle," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-17, December.
    12. Singh, S.P. & Singh, Priyanka, 2015. "Effect of temperature and light on the growth of algae species: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 431-444.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Esther González Arnedo & Jesús Alberto Valero-Matas & Antonio Sánchez-Bayón, 2021. "Spanish Tourist Sector Sustainability: Recovery Plan, Green Jobs and Wellbeing Opportunity," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-17, October.
    2. Oleksiy Opryshko & Natalia Pasichnyk & Nikolay Kiktev & Alla Dudnyk & Taras Hutsol & Krzysztof Mudryk & Piotr Herbut & Piotr Łyszczarz & Valentyna Kukharets, 2024. "European Green Deal: Satellite Monitoring in the Implementation of the Concept of Agricultural Development in an Urbanized Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-19, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zou, Wenke & Sun, Yongjun & Gao, Dian-ce & Zhang, Xu & Liu, Junyao, 2023. "A review on integration of surging plug-in electric vehicles charging in energy-flexible buildings: Impacts analysis, collaborative management technologies, and future perspective," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 331(C).
    2. Muhammad Tariq Khan & Riaz Ahmad & Gengyuan Liu & Lixiao Zhang & Remo Santagata & Massimiliano Lega & Marco Casazza, 2024. "Potential Environmental Impacts of a Hospital Wastewater Treatment Plant in a Developing Country," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(6), pages 1-18, March.
    3. Lopez, A. & Ogayar, B. & Hernández, J.C. & Sutil, F.S., 2020. "Survey and assessment of technical and economic features for the provision of frequency control services by household-prosumers," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    4. Vindel, José M. & Trincado, Estrella, 2021. "Viability assessment of algal wastewater treatment projects under outdoor conditions based on algal productivity and nutrient removal rate," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    5. Nikolaos Tsalas & Spyridon K. Golfinopoulos & Stylianos Samios & Georgios Katsouras & Konstantinos Peroulis, 2024. "Optimization of Energy Consumption in a Wastewater Treatment Plant: An Overview," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-43, June.
    6. Rosa M. Llácer-Iglesias & P. Amparo López-Jiménez & Modesto Pérez-Sánchez, 2021. "Energy Self-Sufficiency Aiming for Sustainable Wastewater Systems: Are All Options Being Explored?," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-20, May.
    7. Bruno Domenech & Gema Calleja & Jordi Olivella, 2021. "Residential Photovoltaic Profitability with Storage under the New Spanish Regulation: A Multi-Scenario Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(7), pages 1-17, April.
    8. Moazeni, Faegheh & Khazaei, Javad, 2021. "Co-optimization of wastewater treatment plants interconnected with smart grids," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 298(C).
    9. Bai, Bo & Xiong, Siqin & Song, Bo & Xiaoming, Ma, 2019. "Economic analysis of distributed solar photovoltaics with reused electric vehicle batteries as energy storage systems in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 213-229.
    10. Han, Xuejiao & Garrison, Jared & Hug, Gabriela, 2022. "Techno-economic analysis of PV-battery systems in Switzerland," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 158(C).
    11. Tamás Karches, 2022. "Fine-Tuning the Aeration Control for Energy-Efficient Operation in a Small Sewage Treatment Plant by Applying Biokinetic Modeling," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-13, August.
    12. Parra, David & Patel, Martin K., 2019. "The nature of combining energy storage applications for residential battery technology," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C), pages 1343-1355.
    13. Fabian Rücker & Michael Merten & Jingyu Gong & Roberto Villafáfila-Robles & Ilka Schoeneberger & Dirk Uwe Sauer, 2020. "Evaluation of the Effects of Smart Charging Strategies and Frequency Restoration Reserves Market Participation of an Electric Vehicle," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-31, June.
    14. Qusay Hassan & Bartosz Pawela & Ali Hasan & Marek Jaszczur, 2022. "Optimization of Large-Scale Battery Storage Capacity in Conjunction with Photovoltaic Systems for Maximum Self-Sustainability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-21, May.
    15. Dawid Nosek & Piotr Jachimowicz & Agnieszka Cydzik-Kwiatkowska, 2020. "Anode Modification as an Alternative Approach to Improve Electricity Generation in Microbial Fuel Cells," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(24), pages 1-22, December.
    16. Tomasz Jałowiec & Henryk Wojtaszek, 2021. "Analysis of the RES Potential in Accordance with the Energy Policy of the European Union," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-33, September.
    17. Klein, Martin & Deissenroth, Marc, 2017. "When do households invest in solar photovoltaics? An application of prospect theory," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 270-278.
    18. Mónica Vergara-Araya & Verena Hilgenfeldt & Di Peng & Heidrun Steinmetz & Jürgen Wiese, 2021. "Modelling to Lower Energy Consumption in a Large WWTP in China While Optimising Nitrogen Removal," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-24, September.
    19. CARPENTIER, Alain & GOHIN, Alexandre & SCKOKAI, Paolo & THOMAS, Alban, 2015. "Economic modelling of agricultural production: past advances and new challenges," Review of Agricultural and Environmental Studies - Revue d'Etudes en Agriculture et Environnement (RAEStud), Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique (INRA), vol. 96(1), March.
    20. Dr. Markus Flaute & Anett Großmann & Dr. Christian Lutz & Anne Nieters, 2015. "Erweiterung des umweltökonomischen Modells PANTA RHEI um Prosumer-Haushaltstypen," GWS Discussion Paper Series 15-14, GWS - Institute of Economic Structures Research.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:7:p:1994-:d:530164. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.