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A number of initiatives have been started to encourage optimization of energy use andproduction of green power from renewable fuels associated with wastewater treatment. As oneexample, the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF) has initiated the Optimization ofWastewater Solids Operations (OWSO) Issue Area Team and associated program managers andresearch contracts. OWSO has a stated goal of reducing energy use at publically ownedtreatment works (POTWs) by 20 percent.One of the limitations of the current state of the practice is the lack of a metric or measurementtool that evaluates how well we are performing as an industry against goals like OWSO's 20percent energy reduction goal. Carbon footprint analysis may be the most appropriatemetric/tool; this paper summarizes how one utility, the Orange Water and Sewer Authority(OWASA) of Chapel Hill, North Carolina is accounting for its energy savings and effects usingthat tool. Opportunities for trading carbon emission reductions may be available and providemotivation in the form of cash for measuring the improvements using well-documentedprocedures. If aggregated, these savings could be tracked industry wide to provide an ongoingassessment of the advances that the wastewater industry is making.A number of markets exist for the North American exchange of green house gas (GHG) emissionreductions and global warming credits. Carbon is exchanged in metric tons of carbon dioxide(COsub2/sub). The authors propose that, to the extent possible, energy efficiency gains at POTW bedocumented, converted to metric tons of COsub2/sub and sold on the carbon markets. This approachprovides the following benefits:documentation of individual POTW electrical and fossil fuel use reductions using acommon unit of measurement;ability to track and total the overall efficiency improvements by the industry; and,incentive in the form of payment for carbon reductions that can also be used as publicrelations capital for public education on the additional steps taken by the utility forenvironmental enhancement.This paper summarizes OWASA's utility-wide and plant-specific carbon footprint baselines andmeasured gains that resulted from carbon footprint reduction projects at their Mason FarmWastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP). The degree of carbon improvement necessary to achieveKyoto-defined reduction goals will also be highlighted, with special attention being paid to theever-increasing wastewater loads and increasingly stringent effluent treatment requirements thatWWTPs typically face. Both of these factors likely increase the amount of energy required tooperate a POTW over time. Includes 7 references, figures.

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Edition: Vol. - No. Published: 11/01/2009 Number of Pages: 16File Size: 1 file , 900 KB