POWERSTEP is a €5.2m project funded by the EU Horizon-2020 R&I framework programme

“Full-scale demonstration of energy positive sewage treatment plant concepts towards market penetration”

The implementation of safe and efficient wastewater treatment systems is essential to satisfy the global water demand, safeguard the environment, protect public health and meet sustainability goals. Energy-positive wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) create an enabling environment for greener, smarter and more circular cities.

The EU-funded project “POWERSTEP” (www.powerstep.eu) is working on a full-scale demonstration of energy positive sewage treatment plant concepts towards market penetration. In different case studies, innovative technologies for WWTPs are developed, deployed and assessed.

In the domain of heat-to-power technologies, the heat and power cogeneration plant (CHP) of a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Braunschweig, Germany was equipped with a thermoelectric generator (TEG) in order to boost the electrical efficiency of the CHP system. The target is a 5% increase in electricity yield from biogas valorization, with a payback time less than 5 years.

TCS collaborated with Fraunhofer IPM within the POWERSTEP project to develop the MPPT system used by the TEG. This power electronics unit comprises of 9 KM3 converters on a backplane equipped with data display and communication. TCS overviewed the installation and tests of the complete system on site.