Existing Solutions

water balance, water consumption reduction

technical

Water Balance: ‘Measuring is Knowing’, if you want to find out what are the possibilities on the reduction of water use, it’s very important to measure your total water use and the important separate streams on a semi detailed basis.  Based on these measurements assumptions can be made of possible leakages and possible savings. Leakages can be discovered by comparison with measurements on (for example) other installations and or serial data collected over the past years. A good Water Balance is essential to find out what significant possibilities are in range to reduce the use of water.

Eems Power Plant, Gelderland Power Plant (both GDF SUEZ  Energy Netherlands)

The Dutch Environmental Manager initiated the project. The drivers were the urge for sustainable development and the knowledge that it’s always possible to perform better if you focus on a certain subject. The local management was an important party to enforce finishing the first phase of project. Once the local employees found out what could be achieved they became enthousiastic.

In 2010 a water balance is being developed on both sites and a list of possible savings has been developed. In 2011 some promising ideas were implemented with good results. In 2012 the project will hopefully be continued.

The problem to be solved was to find out how much water is being used and how much water is being spilled unnecessary. Water is becoming a more and more scarce commodity. It’s important to show that we feel our responsibility on our natural resources such as water.

One of the most important added values is that it’s valuable to focus on the use of natural resources from the perspective of our responsibility on these issues. The first results show us that sometimes savings of more than 20% are possible. Both on the short and the long term.

Important key success factors are a project-based approach and using a transparent structure. A team of experts under the leadership is necessary to set up a program, supported by the msite management. It’s also important to collect comparable data over a long period to monitor on trends and substantial derogations on expected consumptions. Most of the time investments are necessary to realize the needed results. Return on investment should be at least five years.

Every older Power Plant or other type of production facility can realize serious savings on their use of water. It’s very important there is a basis by the management in the occupied company or even better companies. A covenant or other type of agreement can be very helpful on creating a basis to develop on a measurement and management program. The approach can be regional or even bigger on a branch level. Once several parties are involved a certain level of competition can be reached. Reported successes will stimulate other parties to improve and develop new methods on potential savings.

Important key success factors are a project-based approach and using a transparent structure. At first a project plan needs to be made. This plan must contain a clear scope, a clear goal and a step by step approach and planning. The plan must be prepared and executed by a team of experts, managed by a project leader. The support of the management is also an essential factor. They need to sponsor the project and periodically ask for reports.

The minimum investment necessary to set up a project plan and a water balance will take 200 – 400 hours work, spread over the team members. In some cases it’s necessary to place additional water meters to give a clear view on the present water use. Costs very much (between 500 and 10.000 euro’s, depending on the number and size of the water meters). Once the meters are installed it’s very important to collect data over a longer period of time, to make a statistic analysis possible.

To realize a branch approach it’s very important that the leaders of the involved parties support the program and are willing to invest in terms of time (of their own personnel) and money.

Not that I’m aware of. So far it’s only an internal project.

Leo Brouwer

Environmental Manager, HSE Department

GDF SUEZ Energie Nederland

Grote Voort 291, 8041 BL Zwolle

PO Box 10087, 8000 GB Zwolle

Tel +31 88 769 32 60

Mob +31 031 6 20693484

leo.brouwer@gdfsuez.nl

www.gdfsuez.nl

Power Point Presentation available on demand.