Pathways to Resource Recovery from Wastewater in the Net-Zero Era

Partner: Technical University of Munich

Project Description: In a resource-constrained world with a growing population, transitioning to a circular economy is imperative. For over a century, wastewater services have focused on pollutant removal, effectively protecting public and environmental health but inefficient in resource use. As climate change accelerates exerting devastating global impacts, the wastewater sector faces a dual challenge: transforming from pollutant removal to resource recovery while simultaneously mitigating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. However, these two goals often conflict within the wastewater sector.

The project will bring together the GHG group at UQ, led by Prof. Ye, and the Resource Recovery group at TUM, led by Prof. Koch, to reconcile the goals of resource recovery and net-zero emissions. Specific objectives are: 1.Expand the UQ-TUM’s collaboration and its impact on broader partners, by establishing a digital platform on an initiative for Global Net-zero Water Alliance, for exchanging ideas and exploring innovative technologies. 2.Set the stage for future projects integrating circular economy practices with GHG reduction in the wastewater sector. 3.Nurture and inspire the next-generation young water professionals, including early careers researchers, undergraduates, and HDR students from both UQ and TUM.