Energy and Circular Systems

Closing the cycle

The depletion of natural resources and fossil energy sources requires a transition from our present linear economy to a circular economy that will close and connect cycles for materials, energy and water. That requires a cyclic, value-based deployment of basic materials, energy and water, with efficient and effective use of these crucial resources on a system-wide level. The water sector is implementing this ambition through reductions and savings, the use of alternative natural resources and sustainable energy, and committing itself to the recovery and reuse of basic materials in the water chain and beyond. This also cuts emissions of possibly harmful substances into the environment. On the basis of practice-oriented research, KWR contributes to shaping the circular economy and the socioeconomic anchoring of innovative solutions.

Scaling up, and legislation – both on a national and European level – are important factors for closing water, material and energy cycles. It is a logistical and organisational challenge to recover materials at various locations in the water cycle, with varying quality, and convert these materials into a commodity with consistent quality and in adequate amounts. In this context, we aim to obtain circular systems from a circular economical perspective by researching and developing market concepts using an integrated approach. Such an approach combines existing and innovative concepts and connects different sectors from the energy-food-water nexus. Our aim is to deliver recommendations for improved practice while applying innovative techniques and concepts for the water sector, municipal authorities and industry.

KWR contributes knowledge about drinking water, wastewater and industrial water, environmental technology, biotechnology and more, in close collaboration with knowledge partners such as AquaMinerals, ISPT, ‘Netwerkgroep Industriewater’ and knowledge network groups of water boards. Recent research on closed water cycle systems includes:

• residual materials in urban and rural water systems;
• development of long-term goals or a vision related to energy and circular systems, administrative support and technology for the recovery of components, energy and water reuse;
• research into product formation or resource recovery and the creation of value chains from wastewater and drinking water processes (including calcite, proteins, cellulose, struvite, biogas and iron sludge);
• the intensification of processes, water re-use and the closing of the water cycle in industry and agro-food;
• modernising wastewater treatment;
• integrated process solutions for the optimal use of energy from wastewater and sludge;
• exchanging and sharing knowledge and lessons learnt to build up expertise and make innovation possible.

Major challenges such as climate change, the depletion of natural resources and a growing world population require transitions to sustainable water, energy and food supplies.

Water for Energy

The targets to mitigate climate change have been set out in the Paris Agreement, the European Green Deal and the Dutch Climate Agreement. The energy transition is key to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, yet it will demand a great deal of effort and motivation to establish an affordable, sustainable energy supply in 2050. The energy transition generates numerous innovation opportunities and raises questions regarding technology, legislation, finance and organisation of new energy concepts.

KWR offers added value for the energy transition with research at the cutting edge of water and energy. We aim to contribute with research and innovation to make the energy system more sustainable, especially the part of the energy system that is water-related. At the same time, we identify boundary conditions for the transition route: we focus on solutions that will not pose risks to the aquatic environment and the drinking water supply.

KWR brings together expert knowledge of the energy system with geohydrology, water infrastructure, environmental technology, hydroinformatics, participation processes and citizen engagement. The energy transition is a societal challenge, so we work together with many stakeholders such as municipalities and provincial authorities, district heating companies, energy grid suppliers, water companies, construction and engineering firms, water- and energy end-users.

In the Water for Energy theme, we are researching and working on innovations for:

• making responsible use of the subsurface for underground thermal energy storage and geothermal energy, and preventing harmful interaction with drinking water sources;
• the development of aqua thermal energy, in particular extracting energy from drinking water pipelines;
• congestion in the shallow subsurface and interaction between heat networks and drinking water networks;
• managing health risks such as legionella in drinking water networks and hot tap water preparation;
• the optimisation of heating systems;
• green hydrogen production.

KWR brings together expert knowledge of the energy system with geohydrology, water infrastructure, environmental technology, hydroinformatics, participation processes and citizen engagement.

System solutions for a circular economy

How do we achieve a fully circular economy with renewable energy? The sustainability transition that we are seeing worldwide requires a broad perspective. A lot of technology is being developed but it is not enough. A system solution will only work if the financial, legal and organisational boundary conditions are also right.

Matching supply and demand for sustainable energy is important in the energy transition. There is a mismatch between supply and demand, both in time (as with patterns over the course of a day and seasonal fluctuations) and in space (with local production and offshore production, for example). The energy system is structured on the basis of storage, transport and conversion. Ultimately, all the pieces of the system must fit together like a jigsaw puzzle, whether at the level of a local area or at the level of a city, country or continent. Our vision of the water and energy system of the future links water, hydrogen, heat and electricity in an integrated way. The Power-to-X concept is a great example of this integrated vision.

In the transition to a circular economy, we see system solutions that bring together integral solutions for multiple raw materials, water and energy. The Power-to-Protein concept illustrates that the production of proteins from nitrogen and carbon sources in wastewater is feasible and an alternative to carbon dioxide emitting pathways. With the aim of closing the artificial nitrogen cycle, bacteria are used to convert these nutrients along with hydrogen into proteins.

With KWR experts in sociology & governance and innovation & valorisation, the experts in the field of Energy and Circular Systems are working on complete system solutions.

Tools

Optimisation, simulation and visualisation tools can be used to establish a picture of the challenges posed by the transition to circular systems and the use of renewable energy sources. Our experts are improving these tools and applying them for analysis at the tactical-strategic level, for monitoring, and for advanced management and control at the operational level. They analyse potential solutions which apply system-wide and assess them in terms of performance, costs, benefits, and environmental and other sustainability aspects. In addition, these tools provide feasible solutions to optimise business operations in terms of costs and sustainability.

The analysis toolbox includes:

• social cost-benefit analyses;
• analyses of the total cost of ownership (TCO) or life cycle costs (LCC) that determine the potential of a system on technological/economic grounds;
• tools such as life cycle analysis (LCA), eco-efficiency, footprinting and other environmental impact assessments that teach us more about the effects on ecology, people (health), the environment and the climate in a range of scenarios;
• tools for monitoring and adaptive management and control geared to the optimisation of economic and sustainable aspects of integrated systems.