2012/EWG43/011
Agenda Item: 3b
Concept Note: Applied Research on Energy of
Municipal Sludge in Low-Carbon Cities Construction
Purpose: Consideration
Submitted by: China
43rd Energy Working Group Meeting
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
8-10 March 2012
APEC Concept Note
Applied research on energy regeneration of municipal sludge in low-carbon
Project Title:
cities construction
Source of funds (Select one):
Fund
Operational Account
TILF Special Account
APEC Support
Expert Group on New & Renewable Energy Technologies ( EGNRET) of
Committee /
WG / Sub-fora / Task-force:
Energy Work Group(EWG)
Proposing APEC economy:
China
Co-sponsoring economies:
July 1, 2012
Expected start date:
June 30, 2013
Expected completion date:
The project responds to the Energy Ministers’ instruction from their meeting
Project summary:
in Fukui, Japan in 2010 to implement an APEC Low-Carbon Model Town
Describe the project
Project. Traditional city sludge treatment produces pollutants and is energy-
in under 150 words.
wasting. This project investigates on the feasibility of applying anaerobic
Your summary should include
the project topic, planned
activities,
timing and location:
digestion to municipal sludge for energy regeneration and its market
applications. This technology can decrease sludge water content and export
high-caloric dry sludge for electricity generation by combustion with coal. The
technology has been applied in the biggest sludge treatment plant (named
Bailonggang) in Asia and is very suitable for popularization in Asia-Pacific cities,
because it converts waste solids produced in wastewater treatment to
renewable energy. It also contributes to carbon dioxide and sulphur dioxide
(Summary must be no longer
emission reduction. Potential contamination, cost and technical issues in sludge
than the box provided. Cover
treatment and air emissions from sludge combustion will be addressed in this
sheet must fit on one page)
project.
Total cost of proposal: (APEC
Total amount being sought from APEC (USD):
funding
By category:
Travel:﹩31,000
Hosting: ﹩12,000
+ self-funding)
﹩100,000 dollar
Labour costs:﹩43,000
Publication & distribution: ﹩5,000
Other Experiment Materials : ﹩9,000
USD 150000
Project Proponent Information and Declaration:
Name: Ruwei Gao
Title:
Associate President
Organization:
gcl-poly energy holdings limiter
Postal address: 9/f,New shanghai Interational Tower,360 south Pudong Road,Lujiazui Financial Center
Shanghai,PRC, China, 200120
Tel: + 86-21-68862588-305
Fax:
+ 86-21-68863996
E-mail: gaoruwei@gcl-power.com
I declare that this submission has been prepared in line with the Guidebook on APEC Projects. If approved, I
agree to develop the project in line with APEC project requirements.
Ruwei Gao
Name of Project Proponent
Date: February 26, 2012
Project Synopsis
1. Relevance: Why should APEC undertake this project? What problem or opportunity will the project
address and why is it important?
According to the declaration of Yokohama and the Chinese president Jin-tao Hu’s proposal to
“strengthen the cooperation on low carbon city construction demonstration program to advance energy
saving and emission reduction, and to improve the cooperation on energy efficiency”, this project aims for
research on the feasibility of sludge energy regeneration for market application. It can play an active role in
promoting energy saving and emission reduction and low carbon city construction, in accordance with
preferential support in energy saving, emission reduction and the environmental protection by the APEC
Energy Working Group (EWG).
Applying anaerobic digestion technology to generate energy from sludge is very important for energy
saving and carbon dioxide emission reductions. This technology has been applied in the biggest sludge
treatment plant in Asia, named Bailonggang Sludge Treatment Plant, which treats 1020 ton sludge (water
content 80%) per day. Energy generated from the process can decrease sludge water content to 30% and
the dry sludge with high caloric can burn with coal. The energy contained in the rest dry sludge can generate
250,000,000 degree electricity power, equivalent to saving 100,000 ton standard coal, or reductions in
carbon dioxide emission by more than 200,000 ton and sulfur dioxide emission by 1000 ton per year.
2. Objectives: Describe the 2-3 key objectives of the project.
1. To comprehensively assess the present situation of sludge treatment technology and market needs of
sludge energy regeneration technology in Asia Pacific, and finally provide the market feasibility report of
this technology.
2. To provide solutions for sludge treatment closely related to low-carbon city construction and to
enhance APEC members’ understanding of sludge energy regeneration technologies. Issues such as
cost, solid contamination and air emission in new sludge treatment technologies will be considered.
3. Alignment:
Describe how the project will help achieve APEC’s key priorities and meet your forum’s
work-plan or medium-term plan.
APEC Energy Statistics has provided basic statistical information of materials for executing all APEC’s
key priorities and EWG’s work plans, as well as materials for the APEC energy and energy-related
conferences and meetings including APEC Leaders and Energy Ministerial Meetings. This project will
continue to provide basic statistical information to the APEC energy policy decision-making process and will
contribute to APEC energy saving strategy.
4. Methodology: How do you plan to implement the project? In this section, address:

Timeline: Project timelines and dates for key activities and deliverables
1. From July 1, 2012 to October 30, 2012, conduct market research and finish the special report of
popularization of this technology in large cities of Asia Pacific.
2. From November 1, 2012 to January 31, 2013, construct the expert network in sludge energy
regeneration and form the communication mechanism during the APEC economic entity.
3. From February 1, 2013 to March 30, 2013, organize international conferences to discuss technical
schemes on urban sludge energy regeneration.
4. From April 1, 2013 to June 30, 2013, finish the prospect analysis report of sludge energy regeneration
applied in Asia Pacific on its market application and economic feasibility, and give subject report
conclusion.

Stakeholders: Beneficiaries and stakeholders (APEC & non-APEC) and how they will be engaged
Since the purpose of the project is to assist developing economies to design policies for energy efficiency
improvement, policy-makers and government officials responsible for energy policy in developing
economies are the target beneficiaries of this project. Relevant stakeholders are those who are affected
by the sludge energy regeneration technology policies, such as local governments, companies,
wastewater treatment plants, etc. As the sludge energy regeneration technology accounts for major
section of energy saving, the whole society can be benefited in terms of energy saving and security,
climate change mitigation through reduction in energy consumption and production of renewable energy.

Previous projects/activities: If and how this proposal builds on the findings or lessons learned
from previous projects/activities, while avoiding duplication
It is the first time to do market research for applying anaerobic digestion technology to realise renewable
energy from sludge. This project is designed to comprehensively assess the overall energy efficiency
policies of member economies. It will cover all sectors, as well as other aspects such as institutional
framework, financing, and capacity building, while acknowledging the importance of setting goals and
action plans to promote energy efficiency. The sludge energy regeneration technology is a new type of
project based on a newly established methodology.

Communication: How you plan to communicate the results or benefits of this project to others
Peer Review Report will be presented at the EWG meeting. Progress of the project will also be reported
to other APEC fora, including EGNRET and the APEC Ministers’ Meeting. The report will be published on
the APERC website through links to the APEC website.