Anglian Water’s Carbon Neutral Future
Anglian Water is becoming carbon neutral decades ahead of the government’s target.
The water sector is energy-hungry, with energy consumption by the sector equivalent to all the energy used by Australia. In 2014, around 4% of global electricity consumption was used to extract, distribute, and treat water and wastewater as well as 50 million tons of oil equivalent of thermal energy.
By 2040, the amount of energy used in the water sector is likely to double due to trends including increased desalination, large-scale water transfers, and increasing demand for wastewater treatment, as well as higher levels of treatment.
The energy used to supply water and clean used water is responsible for around 3–8% of global greenhouse gas emissions. With global demand for water projected to increase by 55% by 2050, a business-as-usual scenario will see emissions increasing by 50% in the same time frame.
Anglian Water’s largest solar array
To reduce rising water-energy nexus pressures, Anglian Water has finished installing its largest solar array at a Water Recycling Centre in Jaywick, Essex. Comprising of 3,312 solar panels, the scheme will generate 36% of the site’s energy consumption and reduce carbon emissions by over 300 tons each year. At peak operation, the site will be able to power 200 homes.
The installation of the solar system is part of the utility’s wider aim of generating 44% of the electricity it needs from renewable sources by 2025. This will mean Anglian Water will be net-zero carbon by 2030, 20 years ahead of schedule of the Government’s current target of 2050. Already, the utility has made significant progress towards net-zero with a 58% reduction in capital carbon and a 29% reduction in operational carbon since 2010.
Conclusion
Through innovative technologies, water utilities can become carbon neutral organizations.