WERF and WEF Launch New LIFT Projects

LIFT LogoThe Water Environment Federation (WEF; Alexandria, Va.) and Water Environment Research Foundation (WERF; Alexandria, Va.) are launching three new projects under the Leaders Innovation Forum for Technology (LIFT) program. The three projects are a Genifuel hydrothermal processing bench-scale technology evaluation, an incentives-for-innovation adoption project, and a LIFT database project.

The Genifuel hydrothermal processing bench-scale technology evaluation will assess an innovative biosolids-to-energy technology. Hydrothermal processing converts organic material into bio-crude oil, natural gas, or both with more than 99% conversion of organics. The technology is specifically designed for wet feedstock and has a high net-energy yield, but to date, it has only been minimally tested with wastewater solids or biosolids. The evaluation project is collaboratively funded by WERF, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and approximately 10 utilities participating in the LIFT program. The U.S. Department of Energy also is providing in-kind support.

The “Creating the Space to Innovate” project, co-funded by WEF and WERF, will address impediments and promote incentives to the adoption of innovative technologies and practices. This project will

  • identify major influences to innovation in the water resource recovery facility sector,
  • identify measures to manage or share risk by providing regulatory space for innovation through permit flexibility in compliance schedules or different kinds of permits, and
  • address perceived challenges in some states with permitting new technologies.

WERF has awarded The Canton Group (Baltimore) with a contract to develop a LIFT database to support new technology innovation, collaboration, and implementation for the water sector. The platform will help identify and deliver information on innovative water technologies, facilitate matchmaking and collaboration for speeding the adoption of innovation into practice, and provide data and results from demonstrations. The platform development is supported in part with funding from EPA.

LIFT is a joint WERF/WEF initiative designed to help move innovation into practice in the water quality sector. For more information about the program, contact WERF Director of Water Technologies Jeff Moeller at jmoeller@werf.org.

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