ABB Launches Energy Management Solution for Water and Wastewater

The ABB Ability Energy Management for Water and Wastewater–OPTIMAX solution has been launched to the industry to identify unnecessary energy losses within plants. Through coordinated control and visibility of multiple assets, the digital optimization tool can help reduce both energy use and energy costs. 

With wastewater treatment consuming up to 3% of the world’s total energy output and contributing over 1.5% to global greenhouse gas emissions globally, OPTIMAX for water and wastewater has been developed to enable plant operators to cut energy consumption and reduce emissions as a result. The step-wise optimization process also reduces chemical usage to improve the quality and sustainability of operations. 

OPTIMAX applies continuous, real-time control and monitoring to orchestrate the different energy types available at every stage of the treatment process to achieve optimal conditions. Operators can analyze energy flows to identify areas of improvement and pinpoint energy saving potential and flexibilities across all assets within their facility. 

At a net zero wastewater treatment plant pilot project in Schwarzenbruck, Germany, ABB’s technology enabled existing energy generation and storage options to be networked, controlled and optimized. The facility was able to produce as much electricity per year as it consumed by utilizing digester gas power generation, PV solar panels and a hydroelectric power plant. This helped reduce the CO₂ emissions by an estimated 300 tons per year.

Three-step predictive optimization incorporates intra-day and day-ahead schedules for the controllable assets, which are generated based on forecasts, loads and prices and updated throughout the day. Operators can therefore plan ahead to trade competitively with the grid, developing a circular energy system based on availability of renewable energy against demand, to minimize energy. 

The monitoring and reporting functionality helps contextualize the data and reduces reporting time by up to half, while also helping to comply with legal requirements like ISO50001. 

“With sustainable operations of wastewater treatment plants increasingly under the spotlight, visibility of your overall energy consumption and emissions is critical,” said Sleman Saliba, Global Product Manager Energy Management of ABB Energy Industries. “When treated effectively, wastewater has huge potential to help solve our global water shortage but we must ensure that in doing so we maintain the highest efficiency and environmental standards possible.”

ABB’s Energy Transition Equation report analyzed how better use of wastewater could relieve pressure on water supplies through greater integration of automation and digital technologies, and demonstrated how wastewater sites could reduce carbon emissions by up to 2,000 tons per annum. To find out more about making water and wastewater plants more sustainable: OPTIMAX–ABB Energy Industries.