Toward carbon neutrality and circular economy: an innovative combination of enhanced biogas production and nutrient recovery from sludge dewatering liquor at a municipal wastewater treatment plant in Germany

An innovative circular economy (CE) system was implemented at the wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) in Brunswick. The performance of the CE system was evaluated for 4 years: the thermal pressure hydrolysis enhanced the methane production by 18% and increased the digestate dewaterability by 14%. Refractory COD formed in thermal hydrolysis and increased the COD concentration in the WWTP effluent by 4 mg L−1 while still complying with the legal threshold. Struvite production reached high phosphorus recovery rates of >80% with a Mg:P molar ratio ≥0.8. Nitrogen was successfully recovered as ammonium sulfate with high recovery rates of 85–97%. The chemical analyses of secondary fertilizers showed a low pollutant content, posing low risks to soil and groundwater ecosystems. The total carbon footprint of the WWTP decreased due to enhanced biogas production, the recovery of renewable fertilizers and a further reduction of nitrous oxide emissions. Using green energy will be crucial to reach carbon neutrality for the entire WWTP.