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Guide to Case Studies on Energy Management at Utilities in the United States and Around the World

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Guide to Case Studies on Energy Management at Utilities in the United States and Around the World CASE STUDIES ON ENERGY MANAGEMENT Whether your utility is just beginning to look at energy management or already on the road to net-zero, there is always something to learn. Case studies serve as a “how to” for utilities looking to build comprehensive energy programs that reduce consumption, optimize treatment processes, recover beneficial materials, and save on electricity costs. This Guide will navigate you through existing case studies, pointing to drivers, technologies used, savings achieved, and where to find additional information. November 2017 GUIDE TO Prepared by: Water Environment & Reuse Foundation Funded by: New York State Energy Research & Development Authority CASE STUDIES Sustainable Energy Management Planning 0 The Water Environment & Reuse Foundation (WE&RF) is a nonprofit (501c3) organization officially formed in July 2016 as the result of the merger of Water Environment Research Foundation and the WateReuse Research Foundation. The merged research foundation, with a combined research portfolio representing over $200 million, conducts research to treat and recover beneficial materials from wastewater, stormwater, and seawater including water, nutrients, energy, and biosolids. The Foundation also plays an important role in the translation and dissemination of applied research, technology demonstration, and education, through creation of research-based educational tools and technology exchange opportunities. WE&RF materials can be used to inform policymakers and the public on the science, economic value, and environmental benefits of wastewater and recovering its resources, as well as the feasibility of new technologies. For more information, contact: The Water Environment & Reuse Foundation 1199 North Fairfax Street Alexandria, VA 22314 Tel: (571) 384-2100 www.werf.org [email protected] © Copyright 2017 by the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation. All rights reserved. Permission to copy must be obtained from the Water Environment & Reuse Foundation. Neither WE&RF, members of WE&RF, the New York State Energy Research & Development Authority (NYSERDA), nor any person acting on their behalf: (a) makes any warranty, express or implied, with respect to the use of any information, apparatus, method, or process disclosed in this report or that such use may not infringe on privately owned rights; or (b) assumes any liabilities with respect to the use of, or for damages resulting from the use of, any information, apparatus, method, or process disclosed in this report. 1 Introduction SUSTAINABLE ENERGY MANAGEMENT PLANNING Sustainable energy management planning is the development of a comprehensive strategy to identify and prioritize projects that move a facility towards an overarching energy goal in a cost-effective manner. Energy management extends beyond reducing energy consumption and improving energy efficiency. It involves measures such as managing total energy consumption, controlling peak demand, managing energy cost volatility, and improving energy reliability. Improving energy management and long-term planning results in significant savings and builds resiliency at water and wastewater utilities. WHAT DOES THE GUIDE INCLUDE? The following is a guide to case studies on energy management at utilities in the United States and around the world. The Guide covers a variety of energy activities and utility planning at different levels of energy management. Information on the case studies includes: • Snapshots of existing full-scale and pilot or demonstration programs and projects. • Energy topics such as: biogas production, new anaerobic digestion technologies, FOG waste, co-digestion, aeration optimization, biosolids land application, efficient equipment, and more. • Energy, emissions, and cost savings. • Estimated or realized return on investment (ROI) for energy investments. • Challenges with particular technologies or management strategies. • Facility name, location, date, and link to full study and additional resources. HOW TO USE THE GUIDE Case studies in this guide can be found in a number of ways: • Level of Energy Management – Browse case studies based on how advanced your utility is in establishing its energy management program. The guide is organized into three large sections that parallel the three levels of energy management defined in the WEF Energy Roadmap: Enable, Optimize, and Integrate. • Energy Theme – Within each level of energy management, case studies are further organized under four main energy themes: Benchmarking & Data Collection, Energy Efficiency Upgrades, Energy Recovery, and Alternative Energy. Search for examples that address the energy topic your utility is most interested in or seeking to address. • Energy Topics – More specific energy sub-topics under the four energy themes are noted for each case study. Topics are listed alphabetically for each case. This allows for an easy scan through all levels of energy management of a particular topic (e.g., co-digestion). • Location – Climate, political factors, and social context may impact the success of energy management programs. Look for those located near your facility or in a similar geopolitical context to find information on those working with similar institutional and political barriers to successful energy management. • Return on Investment (ROI) – For those with restrictions from funding sources or partnerships, please reference the ROI period for particular cases under “Summary Points.” Research shows that energy investments save money in the long-term, despite high upfront costs in some cases. 2 For further information on a case study, follow the link provided. Contact information is available on most case studies. LEVELS OF ENERGY PLANNING Case studies in this guide show successful energy management at utilities of various size, location, and degree of energy efficiency/production. This demonstrates that energy planning is beneficial to utilities, however advanced they may be. The WEF Energy Roadmap specifies three levels of energy planning: Enable (Beginning) – Enabling the organization to effectively management energy begins with a planning process that includes initiating first steps and launching program components. This may include initial benchmarking, data collection, audits, surveys, and simple equipment upgrades and installations. Integrate (Middle) – Integrating energy efficiency and generation into organizational structure, culture, strategy, communications, and technology is the next step for effective energy management. This implementation process involves establishing a framework for the widespread adoption of energy projects within a utility. This may include expanding prior energy efficiency or recovery activities, Optimize (Advanced) – Finally, the optimization of current processes and procedures involves a level of energy management that enhances and fine-tunes facility improvements, and works with partners outside the utility. This may include utilities who have robust energy management programs, Energy Teams or Units, and work to integrate energy initiatives to serve multiple community and environmental needs. These three levels of energy management are fluid and judgment on where a case study may fall is somewhat subjective. For instance, a particular utility may be very advanced in alternative energy use, while just beginning to explore energy recovery. Thus, the best available information, known industry status and recognition, and other factors were considered in determining where to place each case study. Six key topics employed at the three levels help facilities understand the importance of energy management and integrate activities throughout operations and utility culture. These topics include strategic management, organizational culture, communication and outreach, demand side management, energy generation, and innovating for the future. Case studies in this Guide touch upon these topics, each in their own way. More information on the Energy Roadmap is available here. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES The Guide is meant to help utilities find case studies most relevant to their needs. Summary points are included, however, the Guide is not exhaustive. For further information on a given case study, users should visit the link provided in this Guide or search online for that particular utility/facility which will lead to additional information and other resources on that study, as 3 they become available. Please note that it is likely there is other information available for the cases included in this Guide. This Guide provides information on case studies available at the time it was produced. Utilities around the country are advancing in energy management; new studies are increasingly available. WE&RF, WEF, WRF, and NYSERDA are good places to look for the latest information and advancements in energy technologies and management strategies. For additional case studies on energy management, review conference proceedings. Suggested conferences include: • WEFTEC • WEF Residuals and Biosolids • NYWEA Other useful resources include national level organizations and programs focused on energy management. Some initial resources, which often include case studies, are: DOE Better Plants Program – The U.S. Department of Energy’s Better Plants Program is a partnership with over 180 companies working to reduce the energy footprint in the manufacturing industry and at water/wastewater treatment plants. The Program provides DOE technical support for cost-effective energy improvements. Find out more. WE&RF-NYSERDA Collaboration
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