Introduction
The cross-cutting theme "Assessment" was created by the WavE II Steering Committee to address different relevant aspects across projects: (I) economic assessment, cost/benefit, (II) sustainability assessment, LCA; resource and energy efficiency, and (III) impact assessment, also with regard to competing uses of water.
The goal of the cross-cutting theme is to add value to the projects and support the utilization of the results. The creation of an overall picture from all projects evaluating water reuse in Germany is the focus of the cross-cutting theme group. The aim is to show which potentials are available through WavE II for water reuse in Germany and which contribution WavE II makes to dealing with climate change.
Activities and results to date
In March 2022, a technical meeting was held with a total of 7 collaborative projects from all 3 thematic areas. In the meeting, the goals of the group were discussed and defined.
A first goal is to create an overall picture from all projects to evaluate water reuse in Germany. For this purpose, a water reuse (WWV) potential map for Germany is to be created. On the one hand, the regions with water scarcity (based on already available data material) are to be depicted. Furthermore, the locations and application scenarios of the "WavE II innovations" are to be integrated. On the basis of the results of the WavE II projects, it is to be derived which locations are particularly suitable for real laboratories with regard to the implementation of WavE II innovations. On the other hand, statements are to be made for which locations or regions in Germany high application/implementation potentials for the WavE II innovations can be derived due to comparable/similar characteristics.
Such a WWV potential map would be a very helpful tool in the operationalization and exploitation support of the research results from WavE II. It would give an overall picture of the WavE II collaborative projects as well as enable the integration of future funding initiatives.
In May 2022, a matrix for the WavE potential map was developed by a small group and coordinated with the collaborative project coordinators. In December 2022, the survey started in the projects.
The second objective of the cross-cutting theme is to exchange on specific assessment methods to support transferability and exploitation. For this purpose, an exchange among the collaborative projects will be initiated. On the topic of evaluation methodologies, a publication has already been developed within the funding measure WavE, on which the WavE II projects can build (see Wencki et al. 2020). Components of the assessment approaches include economic feasibility, cost/benefit assessment, sustainability assessment, LCA, and resource and energy efficiency.
Outlook
After the initial collection of information with preliminary statements from the projects, an overview e.g. of application scenarios, target/user groups etc. is to be obtained. Subsequently, the cross-sectional group will examine the options for the best possible visualization and develop the WWV potential map.... In the 3rd project year, the second round of the survey will start, so that the final results can be incorporated at the end of the projects and thus the preliminary statements can be made more precise and adjusted.
For the specific evaluation methods, coordination on interfaces with other cross-cutting topics within the funding measure such as "technologies and processes" and "implementation of projects" is planned.
