The areas that this Big Question covers include: Have a look at the route map – this is a plan as to how we will answer our Big Question through research. The route map has a number of key elements. At the top is our Big Question and then the Outcomes we need to achieve from the research programme -if we can achieve all these Outcomes we can answer the Big Question. You can also see the Key Benefits that will come from achieving the desired Outcomes.
Click on the Research Outcomes below to see the Projects that have been completed or are underway.
Scroll down further to see Case Studies explaining the impact of our research.
RESEARCH Outcomes
Energy & transport: decarbonisation through avoidance, efficiency and alternatives to fossil fuels View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits An evidence base to support system-wide decisions on water and wastewater Informing the most effective deployment of emerging technologies & methods |
Process emissions: minimised emissions through prevention, optimisation or capture View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits An ability to better select and control treatment processes in order to limit emissions More accurate measurement or estimation of emissions from specific processes |
Land use and carbon capture: carbon sequestration potential maximised View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits Ability to maximise benefits of land-based measures Maximising carbon storage, and drawdown potential of biosolids Understanding sequestration rates of land cover; ability to alter land use based on carbon sequestration |
Investment, procurement: minimised emissions in materials, consumables, products & services; credible offsets View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits Ability to make procurement and investment choices based on wholelife carbon Data on embodied carbon leading to consistent measurement, reporting & an industry baseline Knowledge of relative merits of offsetting options |
Customers: reduced emissions related to customer behaviour View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits Ability to influence the carbon footprint of customers’ behaviour in relation to water and wastewater use Better use of the drivers of environmentally-friendly consumption |
Cross-cutting: low carbon, sustainable water cycle management View key benefits and filter projects by this outcome key benefits Consistent reporting More influence over the wider water cycle e.g. urban planning Quantified wholelife carbon impacts of regulation and investment choices; evidence for more environmentally optimal regulation |
| Integrating and producing hydrogen. Project Status - Project Commenced
The UK’s latest hydrogen strategy, published in August 2021, states that hydrogen is a new low carbon solution that is critical for the UK’s transition to net zero. There are a range of solutions to create hydrogen but it is likely that electrolysis of water will feature prominently in this. Research is required to establish the impact on water resources and to identify alternatives to electrolysis of water relevant to the water sector.
In light of the governments ambition to delivery 5GW of production to meet our net zero commitments, the water industry needs to understand and develop its position in the supply chain. There is significant challenge in that there is little or no hydrogen production in the UK at present and therefore the implications on infrastructure and supply chain are currently unknown. This may well be an opportunity for the water sector but will need careful management to maintain water supply to customers. |
| Air pollutant emissions across wastewater operations. Project Status - Project Commenced
Justification – Problem The World Health Organization estimates that air pollution kills an estimated seven million people worldwide every year . Air pollution also has negative impacts on the environment e.g. effecting the acid and nutrient status of soils and waters. The UK and Irish governments and the devolved administrations are committed to delivering clean air, with an increasing focus being given to tackling air pollution and improving air quality due to the negative impacts on human and environmental health. The recent focus on air pollution signals a broadening of government attention, which has previously concentrated primarily on greenhouse gases. There are gaps in our knowledge on sources of air pollutants from water company operations and activities that this project would seek to address. The focus of this project would be on wastewater operations and activities as opposed to looking at all water company operations and activities which include water treatment; catchment; energy; waste disposal; property services; commercial; fleet; and capital projects. By establishing the impact of wastewater operations and activities it will help form a baseline and understand the potential impact of the remaining water industry operations and activities.
Justification – Addressing the Problem It will also inform the need for future research into effective controls to minimise the risk of air pollutant sources from water industry operations and activities, enabling the industry to be proactive in anticipating future regulatory requirements and lead to more efficient and innovative solutions being ready for application should new standards be applied. The project will also seek to develop an air pollution accounting workbook, similar to the carbon accounting workbook, to provide water companies with a consistent and transparent approach for accounting air pollutant emissions form the identified sources. Justification – Project Outputs |
| Biosolids to land - carbon emissions and carbon capture. Project Status - Project Commenced
The reuse of biosolids to land has the potential for notable greenhouse gas emissions, or significant carbon storage – depending on the form of the biosolids and the recycling method used. The increasing prominence of the sector’s net zero carbon work, the impacts on biosolids reuse of the farming rules for water, and growing interest in soil carbon, mean that it is timely to review and challenge assumptions about positive and negative carbon effects of this activity. This will be needed to help inform judgements on the most environmentally sustainable methods of sludge reuse. A few emissions factors for biosolids reuse on land are available via the carbon accounting workbook. These emissions factors are rather old, and it would be timely to understand whether they should be revised or not. Currently, emissions from biosolids to land are outside the reporting boundary used for regulatory reporting; they are assigned to the owners of the land where the biosolids are being spread. However, some companies include biosolids to land in their calculations for parallel wider carbon reporting, and it could be argued that there are reasons for good quantification from a producer responsibility point of view. The Water UK carbon network has identified this topic as a priority for the next year of the carbon Big Question. |
| Over the last 15 years the water sector has been developing tools for different aspects of its carbon footprint. Through UKWIR the Carbon Accounting Workbook provides a consistent approach for annual operational emissions. Also focused on operational emissions, the Water UK Net Zero routemap programme will culminate in the provision tools for estimating carbon reductions of different options over a given period of time, and the cost per tonne of CO2 avoided.
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| Converting sewage sludge to biochar - a review of options & feasibility. Project Status - Project Completed Category - Sewerage
Please note - a submission has been made to the Water Breakthrough Challenge which will cover this project's objectives if it is successful. If it isn't then the BQ team feel that this piece of work is still important to progress. So please vote for it on the basis of whether it is of interest to you or not. Achieving net zero carbon by 2030 is going to be very challenging. Reduction options will likely involve many small to medium scale interventions, and a small number that could yield large carbon reductions. However, we face significant residual emissions in 2030 in scenarios unless investment in technological solutions is greatly accelerated. The specific issue that this proposal relates to – converting sewage sludge to biochar – is closely related to the problem of reducing our carbon footprint by sequestering carbon within char and also providing reducing emissions associated with digestion and sludge recycling. It is also related to issues around the land route for biosolids, due to the presence of microplastics and persistent organic compounds, and whether thermal technologies have a role to play in response. |
Projects coming soon.
| Carbon accounting workbook update v15. Project Status - Project Completed
To avoid inconsistent greenhouse gas emissions reporting we need a common method and accounting system. This is achieved through the carbon accounting workbook (CAW). The CAW requires annual updating - at the very least to incorporate revised emissions factors issued by BEIS. Previous updates have also included broadening the scope of items that are quantified, and improving functionality. |
RESEARCH IMPACT - CASE STUDIES |