HAO Xiao-di,RAO Zhi-feng,LI Shuang,et al.Potential Carbon Trading Volume of Thermal Energy Contained in Wastewater[J].China Water & Wastewater,2021,37(12 12):7-13.
Potential Carbon Trading Volume of Thermal Energy Contained in Wastewater
China Water & Wastewater[ISSN:1000-4062/CN:12-1073/TU]
volume:
第37卷
Number:
12 12
Page:
7-13
Column:
Date of publication:
2021-06-17
- Keywords:
- wastewater treatment; chemical energy; thermal energy; certified emission reductions （CERs）; carbon trading volume; carbon neutral
- Abstract:
- Establishing the carbon trading market has effectively promoted the practice of carbon emission reduction. However, only chemical/organic energy (methane/CH4) has been certificated in the sector of wastewater treatment, and a potential huge volume of thermal energy has not been involved. As a result, thermal energy has not yet been utilized widely in China. If the effluent from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) is applied as a thermal source of water source heat pump (WSHP) in practice, it may hold a remarkably high carbon trading volume. For a WWTP with the capacity of 100×104 m3/d in Beijing, the annual carbon trading profit could reach to as high as 60-195 million yuan/a, if the thermal energy may exchange for 1-3 times by WSHP. Moreover, the price of carbon trading will still continue to increase in the future. Besides, under the carbon trading principles, the centralized utilization of heat energy from WWTPs’ effluent, especially for low-temperature drying of sludge, could also magnify the potential of carbon trading of thermal energy, leading to an extra volume of carbon trading due to the electricity generation of sludge incineration. In addition, if the thermal energy is listed as “Certified Emission Reductions (CERs)” by governments and permitted to enter the carbon trading market, this action would create a double win, which not only helps WWTPs realize indirect carbonneutral operation (via energy output and/or energy exchange) but also makes WWTPs “turn losses into gains”. Thus, at the same time, the environmental, economic and social benefits could be efficiently realized.
Last Update:
2021-06-17