RT Journal Article
T1 Energy efficiency in wastewater treatment plants: A framework for benchmarking method selection and application
A1 Longo, Stefano
A1 Hospido Quintana, Almudena
A1 Mauricio Iglesias, Miguel
K1 Data envelopment analysis
K1 Regression analysis
K1 Stochastic frontier analysis
K1 Wastewater treatment
K1 Key performance indicator
K1 Actor analysis
AB Utilities produce and store vast amount of data related to urban wastewater management. Not yet fully exploited, proper data analysis would provide relevant process information and represents a great opportunity to improve the process performance. In the last years, several statistical tools and benchmarking methods that can extract useful information from data have been described to analyse wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) energy efficiency. Improving energy efficiency at WWTPs is however a complex task which involves several actors (both internal and external to the water utility), requires an exchange of different types of information which can be analysed by a broad selection of methods. Benchmarking method therefore must not only be selected based on whether they provide a clear identification of inefficient processes; it must also match the available data and the skills of those performing the assessment and objectives of stakeholders interpreting the results. Here, we have identified the requirements of the most common benchmarking methods in terms of data, resources, complexity of use, and information provided. To do that, inefficiency is decomposed so that the analyst, considering the objective of the study and the available data, can link each element to the appropriate method for quantification and benchmarking, and relate inefficiency components with root-causes in wastewater treatment. Finally, a framework for selecting the most suitable benchmarking method to improve energy efficiency in WWTPs is proposed to assist water sector stakeholders. By offering guidelines on how integrates and links data, methods and actors in the water sector, the outcomes of this article are expected to move WWTPs towards increasing energy efficiency
PB Elsevier
SN 0301-4797
YR 2023
FD 2023-07-18
LK http://hdl.handle.net/10347/31249
UL http://hdl.handle.net/10347/31249
LA eng
NO Journal of Environmental Management 344 (2023) 118624
NO This work was financially supported by ENERWATER Coordination Support Action, as part of European Union's Horizon 2020research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 649819. A. Hospido and M. Mauricio-Iglesias belong to a Galician Competitive Research Group (GRC) under reference ED431C-2021/37, a programme co-funded by the FEDER (EU)
DS Minerva
RD 24 abr 2026