CFPs: Tradeoffs Between Process Optimization, Greenhouse Gas Mitigation, and Energy Efficiency

Deadline Date: November 14, 2024

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 Donor Name: Water Research Foundation

 Grant Size: $100,000 to $500,000

The Water Research Foundation is seeking applications to tradeoffs between process optimization, greenhouse gas mitigation, and energy efficiency.

The proposed research approach needs to achieve desired outcomes for a readily accessible peer-to-peer framework for medium and long-term planning. This would include the range of non-stationarity considered for aspects such as social cost of carbon (SCC), climate change scenarios, changing electric grid emissions factors, adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), energy mix transitions, technology evolution, among others. The proposal must include the following elements in the research approach:

• Literature Synthesis (peer reviewed journal papers, grey literature, reports, etc.): Conduct a critical review of the range of methodologies employed to do trade-off analyses in water and adjacent industries. Synthesize case studies including through a broad utility survey.
• Framework & Tool Development: Conduct conceptualization and development of a modular framework for widespread wastewater utility across the water sector. This will borrow from approaches established by the National Academy of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) and others (e.g., Integrated Assessment Models (IAMs) such as Policy Analysis for the Greenhouse Effect (PAGE), Climate Framework for Uncertainty, Negotiation and Distribution (FUND), or Dynamic Integrated Climate-Economy Model (DICE)).
• Framework & Tool Assessment and Validation: Develop a model and framework that will be tested with multiple use-cases by utilities (including those already or currently being implemented) to assess value to the water sector. Prepare a utility-facing guidance document.
• Carry-out promotion and outreach of the framework and tool for broad application through webinars, conference presentations, and fact sheets.

Objectives

• Develop a framework for integrated evaluation of the benefits (e.g., reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and enhancement of energy efficiency) and costs (e.g., capital expenditure (CAPEX), operating expenditure (OPEX), social cost of GHG emissions, and operational complexity) that wastewater and water utilities can apply at a unit operations and systems level.
• Provide a harmonized benchmarking framework to assess the value of existing treatment systems within the current regulatory construct and framework. This objective recognizes that the future frameworks for evaluation may be different, due primarily to no stationarity in the systems from climate impacts.
• Offer recommendations for reducing GHG emissions through the utilization of energy efficient technologies, process optimization, and/or implementation of new treatment processes.

Funding Information

• The maximum funding available from WRF for this project is $200,000. The applicant must contribute additional resources equivalent to at least 33% of the project award. For example, if an applicant requests $100,000 from WRF, an additional $33,000 or more must be contributed by the applicant. Acceptable forms of applicant contribution include cost share, applicant in kind, or third-party in-kind that comply with 2 CFR Part 200.306 cost sharing or matching. The applicant may elect to contribute more than 33% to the project, but the maximum WRF funding available remains fixed at $200,000.
• The anticipated period of performance for this project is 24 months from the contract start date.

Expected Deliverables

• Expected deliverables for this project include:
  • Literature review synthesis document, including documentation and collection of data using a broad spectrum of configurations and related energy efficiency of mechanical equipment.
  • Summary of case studies and utility survey.
  • A user-friendly, utility-facing guidance document, including design and operational guidelines for minimizing GHG emissions from existing technologies and through optimization of treatment processes. In addition, it should include a summary of mathematical process modeling on GHG emissions.
  • Recommendations for future research needs including a list of preliminary research concepts.
  • Webinars, conference presentations, and fact sheets.
  • Submission of one open access peer-reviewed journal paper.

Eligibility Criteria

• Proposals will be accepted from both U.S.-based and non-U.S.-based entities, including educational institutions, research organizations, governmental agencies, and consultants or other for-profit entities.
• WRF’s Board of Directors has established a Timeliness Policy that addresses researcher adherence to the project schedule. Researchers who are late on any ongoing WRF-sponsored studies without approved no-cost extensions are not eligible to be named participants in any proposals.

For more information, visit WRF.