Energy Recovery from Wastewater: An Innovative Approach

Energy Recovery from Wastewater

Our tireless quest for sustainable energy inevitably leads us to explore alternative sources of energy. Among these alternatives, wastewater has unexpectedly emerged as a potential reservoir of said energy.

An innovative project, led by Énergir Urban Heating and Cooling (UHC), currently focuses on the energy potential of Montreal’s sanitary sewer network in order to assess the feasibility of recovering heat from this unsuspected resource.

A Project in Downtown Montreal

Avizo is at the heart of this project, offering its precise wastewater flow measurement and temperature monitoring services in the Nazareth/Robert-Bourassa sanitary collector. Énergir CCU has mandated the experts of Avizo to carry out the crucial task of data collection. This twelve-month mandate involves the implementation of a system of measurement which allows to collect data on water flow and temperature continuously and in real-time. Because of the limited access to the measuring point, in reason of its highly occupied location on Robert-Bourassa Boulevard in downtown Montreal, Avizo has developed a remote acquisition system. This innovation reduces the risks associated with the mobilization of our technical staff on public roads. Furthermore, this device, which is installed for the entire duration of the mandate, will allow Énergir UHC to save a considerable amount of money in mobilization, considering that remote downloads enable daily data analysis and targeting of technical intervention needs. Mobilizations, which were initially planned on a weekly basis, can now be reduced to a monthly basis, or as needed, depending on equipment maintenance requirements.

A Viable Source of Energy?

At the end of 2022, a feasibility study was released by engineering firms Eequinox and GHD, discussing the potential recovery of heat from sanitary pipe wastewater near the Énergir UHC plant. Data collected by Avizo will permit engineers, working in partnership with Énergir UHC, to validate their initial hypothesis. While we cannot conclude on the outcome of this study at this time, it is conceivable that the energy recovered from the heat of wastewater could offer both environmental and economic benefits. On the one hand, it would reduce our dependence on traditional energy sources, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions. On the other hand, it would create a new local energy source, contributing to energy resilience and economic development.

Avizo’s specialists are your preferred partners to provide innovative solutions in hydraulic data collection mandates, backed by thirty renowned years of quality and reliability.

To learn more about the services we can offer, click here!