On May 1, the staff at the Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF; Alexandria, Va.) and the Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) briefed the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT) program and their Energy‒Nitrogen Nexus work. The briefing was held to highlight the innovation efforts being piloted and demonstrated by water resource recovery facilities (WRRFs).
LIFT, a WEF and WERF initiative, focuses on accelerating the use of innovative practices in wastewater treatment. LIFT has a vetting system to screen new technologies and processes. The program also has the ability to more rapidly deploy new technologies and remove existing impediments, which would help mitigate the risk and cost of innovative-technology implementation through partnerships. LIFT currently focuses on seven areas
- short-cut nitrogen removal,
- phosphorus recovery,
- energy from wastewater,
- digestion enhancements,
- biosolids to energy,
- collection systems, and
- green infrastructure.
Energy-focused research projects by WERF and WEF have piqued DOE’s interest. DOE is interested particularly in how wastewater‒energy production can be harvested and how it might contribute to the national energy diversification efforts. EPA and DOE also were interested in learning more about how green infrastructure may contribute to energy savings. EPA has published its new blueprint for innovation called Water Technology Innovation Blueprint: Version 2.0, which describes EPA’s perception on water-technology innovation. The blueprint has identified LIFT as a key program to accelerate water technologies to market.
July 14, 2014
WEF Resources & Efforts