Environmental consultancy Aqua Enviro has announced the programme for the virtual event “Delivering Net Zero Carbon in Wastewater Management”, scheduled to take place on 29 September 2020
At around five million tonnes (CO2-e), the UK water industry is the nation’s fourth largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHG), representing just under 1% of the country’s total emissions. Recognising their significant contribution to the nation’s carbon footprint, the UK water industry in 2019 announced a target of net zero emissions by 2030 – twenty years ahead of the Government’s commitment for the country as a whole.
Delivering on this commitment will require a root-and-branch review of capital and operational practices – with carbon impacts factored into all future decision making. This is additionally challenging when set against a context of increasing discharge constraints requiring more intensive wastewater treatment.
The September event will explore how future carbon-efficient wastewater management approaches could take advantage of emerging technologies to become net carbon sinks.
The draft programme details three sessions. Session 1 opens with a presentation from Owen Elson of design and engineering consultancy Atkins.
Other contributions include a presentation from Cranfield University titled “Balancing net zero carbon, effluent quality and environmental net gain with nature-based solutions: upgrading septic tanks”. And Imperial College will present on the topic “Anaerobic fluidized bed membrane bioreactor for energy-efficient mainstream anaerobic and anammox treatment.
And a presentation from NVP Energy will look at a low temperature, high-rate anaerobic digestion technology that can treat low strength wastewater. United Utilities will present on the topic of quantifying carbon.
The final session will be a panel discussion on the topic of monitoring and measurement. The event costs £95 to attend.
