Measuring Life Cycle Greenhouse Gas Emissions From Water Resource Recovery Facilities Workshop

On Jan. 23–24, 2024, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Industrial Efficiency & Decarbonization Office (IEDO) hosted a workshop on Measuring Lifecycle Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions from Water Resource Recovery Facilities (WRRFs).

There is a great deal of uncertainty about the quantities of direct and indirect GHG emissions from the full WRRF lifecycle, including both collection systems and ultimate disposal. In particular, there are questions about the empirical basis for existing emissions factors, and recognition that those factors are incomplete on a lifecycle basis. This workshop is intended to inform possible future DOE efforts to reduce these uncertainties through potential measurement campaign(s). In essence, the workshop seeks to identify key factors for a “design of experiment” approach to any such future activities.