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

Jose M. Vindel, Estrella Trincado and Antonio Sanchez-Bayon ()
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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

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 7, 1-18

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.

Keywords: EU Green Deal; Horizon 2030; clean energy production; high-rate algal ponds (HRAP); activated sludge system (AS); photovoltaic power (PV) (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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