Network Energy Efficient Water Management (NEW)

Developing innovative approaches together

Earning money with flexible energy consumption? The modern energy market is the key! The Netzwerk Energieeffiziente Wasserwirtschaft (energy efficient water industry network) NEW brings together companies, associations and research institutions for developing approaches and products for a corporate load management in the public water sector. In this sector, 6.6 billion kilowatt hours are used per year. A great potential for shifting loads which will not only reduce energy costs but is also opens the door to a new business area, the Electricity Balancing Market. As a long standing and well connected partner of the water industry, inter 3 coordinates the NEW network.

As volatile energy production from sun and wind is expanded, flexible energy consumption is becoming increasingly important. According to the 2012 regulation on interruptible loads (German abbreviation: AbLaV) companies can sell their interruptible capacities and thus generate additional revenues. At the same time they contribute to the energy system transformation. The public water sector is one of the biggest municipal energy consumers. This carries great potential for load shift. To be able to use this potential, innovative infrastructure and management technologies, services, operating and business models are necessary. This is where NEW comes into play.

Flexibility for an intelligent load management

To date, public water infrastructure systems are managed according to hydraulic aspects. If at all, load management is used for equalizing own peak loads. However, this is set to change.

For water supply and wastewater disposal companies, corporate, intelligent load management means to shift their demand for energy according to energy supply from wind and photovoltaic systems without degrading the quality of their own service. This requires a flexible management of their systems and networks. NEW supports water sector companies in developing such a corporate load management. Potential for more flexibility lie in water systems and networks but also beyond the water meter – in new technologies for households, public entities and business.

NEW – network activities

For the development and the marketing of innovative products, the entire value added chain – from transmission system operators to water supply companies, customers and wastewater disposal companies – is taken into account. The aim is to decrease energy costs for the water sector and generate additional income by providing interruptible loads for the Electricity Balancing Market at the same time.

In 2015, NEW will develop products in four areas: (1) infrastructure technologies for a more flexible management of systems and networks, (2) information and communication technology for the communication between water supplier and customer, (3) services for the analysis and control of water consumption, for data management and accounting, (4) business and operating models for the realization and marketing of load shift capacities in the water sector.