RE-Powering Critical Infrastructure: Can RE-Powering Sites Meet the Emergency Energy Needs of Wastewater Treatment Plants?

Over the last few years, extreme weather events, such as flooding and wildfires, have substantially increased in frequency and intensity. Due to recent increases in extreme weather events, climate adaptation and resiliency has become a major topic of concern. An important consideration in adapting to extreme weather events is how to keep affected communities electrified during these events.

The mission of the RE-Powering America’s Land Initiative is to encourage the development of renewable energy on contaminated lands. Because contaminated lands tend to be located within or near population centers, RE-Powering sites are well-suited to meet specific energy demands of nearby consumers, including critical infrastructure such as wastewater treatment plants. Specifically, during an extreme weather events, RE-Powering sites can be used in conjunction with microgrids to keep critical infrastructure within affected communities electrified.

The purpose of the RE-Powering Critical Infrastructure study is to develop and demonstrate a methodology that could be used to evaluate the potential for RE-Powering sites to support critical infrastructure assets, including in emergency situations, and to identify specific EPA-screened sites with the best potential for supporting wastewater treatment infrastructure. The results of this study are relevant to anyone involved in climate adaptation and resiliency planning, and the renewable energy and land developers who work with them.