Water treatment plants are an attractive site for renewable energy integration because of their high but predictable energy demands, and the critical requirement to maintain water infrastructure during power outages. But water utility managers and designers lack tools to evaluate the total economic value of renewable energy and energy storage projects. WERRI scientists are analyzing scenarios in which water utilities and power utilities could work in collaboration to improve electrical grid stability while simultaneously lowering the cost of water treatment. WERRI researchers are also developing small, off-grid-powered water treatment strategies for remote locations or municipalities recovering from natural disasters.
