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Going from energy efficiency to climate neutrality on the way to decarbonizing the wastewater sector

Nature Water volume 2, pages 913–914 (2024)Cite this article

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Reducing carbon emission in the wastewater treatment sector requires both lower energy consumption and a transition towards renewable energy sources. Utilizing the embedded energy in wastewater, which has been traditionally overlooked, could be a substantial additional step towards achieving carbon neutrality.

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References

  1. Magagna, D. et al. (eds) Water-Energy Nexus in Europe (Joint Research Centre, 2019); https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alberto-Pistocchi/publication/336613435_WATER_ENERGY_NEXUS_IN_EUROPE/links/5da86ec092851caa1babd77b/WATER-ENERGY-NEXUS-IN-EUROPE.pdf

  2. Riley, D. M. et al. Techno-economic assessment of CHP systems in wastewater treatment plants. Environments 7, 74 (2020).

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  4. European Parliament legislative resolution of 10 April 2024 on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council concerning urban wastewater treatment (recast). EU https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/2f6b85d2-08a0-11ef-a251-01aa75ed71a1/language-en (2024).

  5. European regions toward circular economy. CircE Interreg Europe https://projects2014-2020.interregeurope.eu/circe/#:~:text=CircE%20Project%20(European%20regions%20toward,Marshal's%20Office%20of%20Lower%20Silesia (2018).

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  1. European University Institute, Robert Schumann Centre, Florence School of Regulation, Florence, Italy

    Maria Salvetti

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  1. Maria Salvetti
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Correspondence to Maria Salvetti.

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Cite this article

Salvetti, M. Going from energy efficiency to climate neutrality on the way to decarbonizing the wastewater sector. Nat Water 2, 913–914 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-024-00322-6

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