Estimating the Carbon Footprint of Microbial Electrolysis Cells in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Case Study
Microbial Electrolysis Cells are devices capable of converting the organic fraction present in the wastewaters into hydrogen. Integrating this relatively new technology into wastewater treatment plants can improve the energy balance and result in significant savings in greenhouse gases emissions. Ho...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SDEWES Centre
2020-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: |
http://www.sdewes.org/jsdewes/pid7.0296
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| _version_ | 1818401223695400960 |
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| author | Laura Gil-Carrera Guillermo Pelaz Raúl Mateos Adrián Escapa |
| author_facet | Laura Gil-Carrera Guillermo Pelaz Raúl Mateos Adrián Escapa |
| author_sort | Laura Gil-Carrera |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Microbial Electrolysis Cells are devices capable of converting the organic fraction present in the wastewaters into hydrogen. Integrating this relatively new technology into wastewater treatment plants can improve the energy balance and result in significant savings in greenhouse gases emissions. However, there are not many studies available in the scientific literature on the carbon footprint of these systems. This paper compares carbon footprint of a wastewater treatment plant located in South Spain, to the carbon footprint of this same plant in which the aerobic treatment is partially replaced by a Microbial Electrolysis Cell. The carbon footprint attributed to the construction of the plants was similar in both cases. However, the wastewater treatment plant with the Microbial Electrolysis Cell system would allow mitigating up to 2,700 t CO2-equivalents, which represents a 42% saving in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the existing wastewater treatment plants. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:49:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-49503957baca48e99f8f5704096fcde8 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1848-9257 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T07:49:03Z |
| publishDate | 2020-09-01 |
| publisher | SDEWES Centre |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems |
| spelling | doaj.art-49503957baca48e99f8f5704096fcde82022-12-21T23:10:46ZengSDEWES CentreJournal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems1848-92572020-09-018353754610.13044/j.sdewes.d7.029600296Estimating the Carbon Footprint of Microbial Electrolysis Cells in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Case StudyLaura Gil-Carrera0Guillermo Pelaz1Raúl Mateos2Adrián Escapa3 Chemical and Environmental Bioprocess Engineering Group, Natural Resources Institute (IRENA), University of León, Av. de Portugal 41, 24009 León, Spain Chemical and Environmental Bioprocess Engineering Group, Natural Resources Institute (IRENA), University of León, Av. de Portugal 41, 24009 León, Spain Chemical and Environmental Bioprocess Engineering Group, Natural Resources Institute (IRENA), University of León, Av. de Portugal 41, 24009 León, Spain Chemical and Environmental Bioprocess Engineering Group, Natural Resources Institute (IRENA), University of León, Av. de Portugal 41, 24009 León, Spain Microbial Electrolysis Cells are devices capable of converting the organic fraction present in the wastewaters into hydrogen. Integrating this relatively new technology into wastewater treatment plants can improve the energy balance and result in significant savings in greenhouse gases emissions. However, there are not many studies available in the scientific literature on the carbon footprint of these systems. This paper compares carbon footprint of a wastewater treatment plant located in South Spain, to the carbon footprint of this same plant in which the aerobic treatment is partially replaced by a Microbial Electrolysis Cell. The carbon footprint attributed to the construction of the plants was similar in both cases. However, the wastewater treatment plant with the Microbial Electrolysis Cell system would allow mitigating up to 2,700 t CO2-equivalents, which represents a 42% saving in greenhouse gas emissions compared to the existing wastewater treatment plants. http://www.sdewes.org/jsdewes/pid7.0296 microbial electrolysis cellcarbon footprintgreenhouse gaswastewater treatment planthydrogen productiondomestic wastewater. |
| spellingShingle | Laura Gil-Carrera Guillermo Pelaz Raúl Mateos Adrián Escapa Estimating the Carbon Footprint of Microbial Electrolysis Cells in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Case Study Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems microbial electrolysis cell carbon footprint greenhouse gas wastewater treatment plant hydrogen production domestic wastewater. |
| title | Estimating the Carbon Footprint of Microbial Electrolysis Cells in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Case Study |
| title_full | Estimating the Carbon Footprint of Microbial Electrolysis Cells in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Case Study |
| title_fullStr | Estimating the Carbon Footprint of Microbial Electrolysis Cells in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Case Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Estimating the Carbon Footprint of Microbial Electrolysis Cells in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Case Study |
| title_short | Estimating the Carbon Footprint of Microbial Electrolysis Cells in Wastewater Treatment Plants: Case Study |
| title_sort | estimating the carbon footprint of microbial electrolysis cells in wastewater treatment plants case study |
| topic | microbial electrolysis cell carbon footprint greenhouse gas wastewater treatment plant hydrogen production domestic wastewater. |
| url |
http://www.sdewes.org/jsdewes/pid7.0296
|
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