Sustainable water cycle and geothermal energy at Lelystad Airport

Technology

The project’s focus is the realisation of a sustainable water cycle, in which wastewater will be reused to the maximum extent possible and residuals will find high-value applications (resource recovery).

Challenge

One of the challenges is to organise the wastewater cycle in such a manner that it results in the maximum reuse and recovery of resources from the wastewater, so that the wastewater does not need to be transported to a WWTP. Another challenge is to build a water system and a thermal energy system that are robust enough that they can grow along with the airport’s expansion.

Solution

According to the calculations, the wastewater stream will increase over time from about 4,200 p.e. to a maximum of 18,000 p.e., once all the planned facilities and buildings are completed. Since the processing of wastewater will increase in step with the growth of the airport, a concept was developed which initially concentrates on the generation of energy from the fermentation of the wastewater and restaurant waste. In the course of time it can evolve further into a resource factory that produces for instance cellulose, alginate and struvite. Through the use of water-efficient facilities, the wastewater will contain high concentration levels of residuals, which facilitates the production of energy and the recovery of resources. The realisation of the resource factory is not simply a matter of bearing in mind the technological developments but also the sales market. A product actually needs to be purchased and the consumer has also to be ready for it. That’s why it’s important to involve potential sales intermediaries in the development of a new resource factory.

The area is also subject to a thermal energy plan which is sufficiently flexible to continuously ensure the customised integration of new buildings.