RDI needs and rel ated ob jecti ves
T ime frame
3.1.4. Suppor ti ng the energy water nexus
(namely on ef fi c iency and sustai nabi li ty) .
Link with 3.1.2.
- Progressing in the understanding of the water-energy nexus.
- Assessing energy use in the whole water cycle in different environments.
- Joint planning of water and energy.
- Reducing energy consumption and recovering energy from water with
a watershed perspective.
- Maximising renewable energy use and production from wastewater
processes through innovative technologies, including the management
of thermal energy and heat recovery from sewage.
- Developing low-energy and high-efficiency technologies and processes.
A focus should be made on the use of renewable energy.
- Developing innovative, efficient and cost-effective technologies to re-
cover energy from wastewater.
- Developing wastewater anaerobic processes for temperate and cooler
climates and/ or low Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) wastewater.
- Implementing new applications such as solar thermal energy for disin-
fection, water treatment, water desalination, etc.
Short
3.1.5. Obtain ing water and energy f rom the ground
- Predicting and preventing environmental impacts linked to fracking and
shale gas, sand oil (and oil recovery) exploitation.
- Developing treatment processes for the water used for shale gas ex-
traction.
- Improving the allocation of groundwater for different uses according to
its quality and quantity (e.g. energy extraction, agriculture). Groundwa-
ter quality and quantity assessment methodologies are needed.
Short
3.1.6. Developing water reuse and recyc ling technologies and
concepts
- Developing technologies, setting up demonstrators for the reuse of
wastewater for agricultural and aquaculture purposes, and for water
management purposes (i.e. artificial aquifer recharge). Developing sep-
aration and extraction technologies in water-using industries.
- Reusing wastewater for different purposes according to its quality level.
- Developing and evaluating innovative and sustainable decentralised
treatment systems allowing the reuse of storm water and grey water
as well as energy recovery from black water.
- Supporting innovative separation and extraction technology pilot proj-
ects in industrial zones to harvest resources from waste and reused
water.
- Developing innovative processes for the production of drinking water
from wastewater.
- Developing mobile water-cleaning systems for the production of drinking
water.
- Development of harmonised and established standards for water reuse
in irrigation throughout Europe.
Short
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