Municipal wastewater for energy generation: a favourable approach for developing nations

Abstract

This study focuses on understanding municipal wastewater (MWW) constituents and assessing technological options to harness the energy content of wastewater in developing countries. There are numerous research studies related to water treatment technologies and wastewater energy value. However, it remains to be seen which perspectives actually make technology adoption feasible. This study explores and presents the potential for some viable and innovative MWW treatment plant (WWTP) systems as a paradigm shift towards resource recovery, energy neutrality and the production of renewable energy by WWTPs. Various cost-effective opportunities related to operational strategies, plant redesign and the upgrading of current WWTPs that can foster self-reliant communities were visualised. Thermal and chemical pretreatments, sequential batch reactors, anaerobic membrane fluidised bioreactors, ammonia-based aeration control and combined heat and power systems can collectively contribute to energy recovery by WWTPs, ranging from 85 to 111%. The study suggests that upgrading the system to become an energy self-reliant water treatment system outweighs the multimode costs associated with health and ecological damages by reducing diseases, pollution and poor productivity regimes.