Municipal guideline:
Guideline for the promotion of climate protection projects in the municipal environment
The municipal guideline has been in force since 1 January 2019. Municipalities, municipal associations, companies with municipal participation and water management associations are eligible to apply. There are a number of investment and strategic funding priorities in the wastewater sector.
Since coming into force, the following changes have been made in the wastewater sector:
a) Specification of technical requirements as of 05/06/2019: For various investment funding priorities, the requirements for eligible technologies have been specified. This concerns outdoor and street lighting, ventilation and air conditioning systems as well as measures in sewage treatment plants and drinking water supply systems, see municipal guidelines (pdf, below).
b) As of 1 February 2020: Funding applications can be submitted to Project Management Jülich (PtJ) throughout the year.
Energy management systems
Here, the implementation of an energy management system - for properties, buildings and also for sewage treatment plants - is subsidised. This funding module can also be used to purchase the software PROVI ENERGY - Online energy analysis according to DWA-A 216.
Conveyance rate 40 / 65%
Grant: max. €5,000 for software, plus installation, training, maintenance
Authorisation period: 36 months
Sewage sludge utilisation in a network
This is interesting given the prevailing plant structure of many municipalities and wastewater associations. The criterion here is: The distance between the plants and the centre must not exceed 50 km.
Funding quota 30 / 40%
Allocation: 10 - 200,000 €
Authorisation period: 48 months
Establishment of a municipal resource efficiency network
for a permanent exchange of experience
Funding quota phase 1 or 2: 100 % or 60%
Allocation: 1000 or 10 - 200,000 € / TN
Renewal of the ventilation
These include, for example: measures to reduce the compressed air requirement in the aeration tank, conversion of highly efficient compressors, measurement, control and regulation technology
Funding quota 30 / 40%
Allocation: € 5 - 200,000
Authorisation period: 24 months
Replacement of pumps and motors
These include, for example: energy-efficient or speed-controlled motors (IE4, IE3), energy-efficient pumps (EEI < 0.23)
Funding quota 30 / 40%
Allocation: € 5 - 200,000
Authorisation period: 24 months
Construction of a new primary treatment plant and conversion to digestion
Funding is provided for the conversion from aerobic to anaerobic sewage sludge treatment for the production of methane. There must be no digestion and the methane must be utilised in CHP plants or fed into a grid.
Funding quota 30 / 40%
Allocation: € 5 - 500,000
Authorisation period: 48 months
Application of innovative, new wastewater treatment processes
For example, processes for nitrogen elimination in sludge water before it is returned to biological wastewater treatment or process combinations to save energy in the aeration tank.
Funding quota 30 / 40%
Allocation: € 5 - 200,000
Authorisation period: 36 months
Potential study
The aim of the study is to cover the in-house electricity and heating requirements of 70 % and an annual energy requirement of max. 23 kWh / PE*a. The potential study is a prerequisite for some of the aforementioned measures and can be applied for relatively easily. An alternative to this is a study in accordance with DWA-A 216 that is max. 2 years old.
Funding quota 50 / 70%
Grant: € 10,000
Authorisation period: 12 months
Sources: Municipal guideline, skkk presentation from 14.01.2019, Energy Agency RLP