Water and Energy - Draft Report of the GWRC Research ... - IWA

4 Conclusion and follow up
The main goals of the workshop were the exchange of information and the review of existing
knowledge and know-how within the GWRC membership and associated organisations and
develop a phased research strategy and portfolio of projects.
Based on the received feedback it can be concluded that the combination of a pre-workshop
background information and in-depth discussion at the research strategy workshop were very
supportive to successfully achieve this goal.
A three phase strategy with associated projects by GWRC members is developed to support the
water and wastewater industry to achieve an energy and carbon footprint neutral urban water
cycle by 2030:
Implement the present State of the Art: picking low hanging fruit;
Reduce of the energy consumption by 20%: optimisation and innovation;
Further reduction of the energy consumption with another 80%: a paradigm shift!
In a optimal timeframe, the supporting activities of step 1 (picking low hanging fruit) by the
GWRC members with the project Energy Efficiency in the Water Industry: A Compendium of
Tools, Best Practices and Case Studies and the development of the Toolbox of integrated
Performance Evaluation would start directly.
As next action, the discussion on and development of the supporting projects and activities for
step 2 and 3 should be initiated to detail and start the projects needed. The project Revamp
Wastewater Treatment Operations with 20% energy reduction could be considered to coordinate
and complement the present research activities by individual GWRC members and other related
research initiatives (i.e. EU projects NEPTUNE and INNOWATECH).
A brief document Water and Energy: a roadmap to the future! that describes the overall goals
and objectives and benefits, the drivers and background of the projects would be of help to
communicate these proactive activities by the water and wastewater sector with their
stakeholders as well support the discussions with possible co-funders of the projects at a
national/international levels.
The Board of the Directors of the GWRC will discuss these proposals and finally will have to
decide about the collaborative projects that will be executed within the framework of the Water
and Energy research strategy.
GWRC Water & Energy - Draft report
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