Integration of Energy Efficiency in Water & Sanitation Utilities: Drainage, Treatment & Reuse

  • Client

    Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)

  • Year

    2024-2025

  • Region
    • Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)
  • Services
    • Energy Audits, Energy Efficiency Project Identification, and Energy Savings Measurement and Verification
    • Climate Finance Funds, Mechanisms and Products
  • Countries

    Mexico

  • Sector
    • Energy & Water Utilities

The objective of the assignment was to identity energy efficiency projects in six selected water and sanitation utilities, along with their respective costs and benefits. Energy assessments of the water pumping and sewage systems, including on-site measurements, were carried out and opportunities in the sewage treatment plants were assessed. Based on these assessments, projects were identified to reduce the consumption of electricity or to generate biogas-based energy, which were assessed in terms of financial feasibility, energy savings and climate change mitigation. Besides, a preliminary analysis of the financing mechanisms to carry out the identified projects was developed.

Econoler was hired to support six water and sanitation utilities in Mexico with the identification and assessment of energy efficiency projects in order to reduce consumption of electricity and assess opportunities to generate renewable energy. Econoler carried out the following tasks:

  • Revision and supplementation of basic data sheets of each utility, including the annual electricity consumption, the number of wells and sewage treatment plants operated.

  • Revision and organization of information of electricity bills in order to determine consumptions by item of operation of each utility.

  • Revision of electromechanical assessments of the water pumping and sewage equipment, evaluating their electromechanical efficiency.

  • Identification of energy efficiency projects and revision of energy generation projects based on the use of biogas.

  • Development and revision of a preliminary analysis of financing mechanisms to implement identified projects.

As a result of Econoler’s support, all six water and sanitation utilities in Mexico achieved a deeper understanding of energy efficiency and renewable energy generation opportunities, and received the necessary guidelines and deliverables to implement energy efficiency projects that will reduce electricity consumption and will contribute with the mitigation of climate change. Utilities can now carry out a deeper analysis of the opportunities detected and assess their feasibility for future implementation.