Conference on Environmental Science and Technology

Directive 2024/3019 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 November 2024 concerning urban wastewater treatment requires wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) to become more energy-independent. WWTPs above 10 000 population equivalent (PE) will have to generate at least 20% of their total energy consumption by the end of 2030, while 15 years later - achieve energy independence. At the same time, the directive should contribute to the progressive reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from urban wastewater treatment to contribute to the 2045 climate neutrality target. The directive also requires monitoring greenhouse gas emissions, including at least CO2, N2O, CH4 emitted by municipal wastewater treatment plants above 10 000 PE. Combining these objectives requires using Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) as early as the upgrading stage of currently operating plants. This paper presents LCAs of exemplary methods for increasing energy self-sufficiency that are economically and technologically justified in the smallest wastewater treatment plants. The work indicate the directions in which long-term projects should follow. Acknowledgments: Research was funded by (POB Energy) of Warsaw University of Technology within the Excellence Initiative: Research University (IDUB) programme. Project “Environmental Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of methods to increase energy self-sufficiency in wastewater treatment plants.”