| Abstract |
The paper presents the roadmap of the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) Tychy–Urbanowice from an object producing electricity sufficient to cover approximately 20% of the plant’s own needs, to one where production of the medium exceeds its needs. In order to intensify the production of biogas, constituting fuel for electricity and heat production, it used codigestion of sewage sludge with biodegradable waste sourced from external suppliers. The use of renewable energy was not limited to own needs, but combined with the needs of the regional community in the scope of implementation of the concept of the ‘Symbio-Tychy’ smart city. The concept is based on the cooperation between water and wastewater, waste and energy sector, and on the philosophy of the knowledge triangle (Ecology, Economy and Education). In 2021, the amount of electricity produced by cogenerating units was 13 955 MWh, whereas the demand of the WWTP and the water park of Tychy was at a level 10 530 MWh. The energy self-sufficiency indicator for these objects, therefore, exceeded 130%. An important element that contributed to the development of WWTP in Tychy was the adopted management model that next to technological growth also prioritises meeting environmental and social norms. © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG. |
