Consorci d’Aigües de Tarragona (CAT), one of Spain’s newest and most modern water utilities, has a mission to leverage the latest technology to deliver highquality and consistent water supply at a reasonable price. This service is provided to a consortium of 69 towns and cities and 29 industries, serving approximately 800,000 people.
THE CHALLENGE
Despite investing over 70 million euros in a state-of-the-art storage, distribution, and network management system, CAT faced a seemingly unsolvable problem: skyrocketing electricity prices were nullifying their efficiency savings. Electricity costs had surged from two million euros in 2005 to five million euros in 2012, with energy expenses accounting for 30% of CAT’s annual operational costs – the single largest budget item. The highest energy demand stemmed from the pumps, which are essential for the water supply.
Spain’s significant wind generation capacity poses an additional challenge. When the wind drops, the shortfall in electricity supply is compensated by expensive alternatives such as gas, combined cycle, and coal power plants. This raises concerns about the risks associated with real-time pricing when wind energy becomes unavailable.
THE SOLUTION
In 2013, CAT, in Tarragona, Spain, became the first water utility in mainland Europe to implement the AQUADVANCED® Water Supply (formerly known as AQUADVANCED® Energy) operations optimisation software from the Digital Solutions division of SUEZ.
After the internal pilot at a single pumping station demonstrated potential savings by switching to the real-time electricity market and scheduling pumps during low-demand periods, CAT decided to implement SUEZ’s AQUADVANCED® Water Supply solution for the entire network.
AQUADVANCED® Water Supply is a software solution developed to reduce energy costs and optimise the operational management of drinking water distribution systems. By collecting and analysing real-time data (such as electricity tariffs, tank levels, flows, pressures, valve, plant and pump statuses), combined with operating constraints, the software forecasts water demand and calculates optimal pumping strategies. This not only reduces energy and production costs but also improves water quality and network operations.
These schedules are validated using a realtime hydraulic model digital twin and can be automatically implemented via the control network. The schedules are continuously adapted, recalculated, and updated for optimal performance.
RESULTS
Using AQUADVANCED® Water Supply, CAT was able to achieve up to 700k€ annual savings, equivalent to 15% of their energy bill. In the first three years of full operation, despite unfavourable wind conditions in 2015 leading to higher real-time electricity prices, CAT saved over one million euros. It has been in use since then to optimise CAT operations, to adapt to tariff changes and to reduce energy costs.
In 2024, AQUADVANCED® Water Supply is facilitating CAT’s successful leadership in their OPTECAT project; the project to optimise energy consumption. The goal is to adapt to alternative energy sources, including on-site solar power generation (two autoconsumption solar plants adding 4.2 MWp).
– Andreu Fargas Marquès, Head of Innovation, Technology and Energy, Consorci d’Aigües de TarragonaThe CAT consortium has a 75-year mandate. We’re 35 years along
the road. We expect to continue to enhance our AQUADVANCED® Water Supply solution as a strategic weapon in our efficiency toolkit for the next 40 years.
CAT highlighted other important benefits that AQUADVANCED® Water Supply delivers:
- Automating critical operational decisionmaking
- Minimising dependence on a few key operational staff members.
- Improved water quality
- Lower overall greenhouse gas footprint
- Supporting and training network operators
