Enel launches Latin America’s first nanotechnology wastewater treatment plant in Peru’s Wayra I wind farm

Umberto Magrini, Head of Engineering and Construction at Enel Green Power, said: “This highly innovative technology that we have introduced for the first time at the Wayra I wind farm in Peru is testament to Enel Green Power’s leadership in the sustainable construction site model which we are rolling out across four continents in projects amounting to more than 2 GW of capacity in the next two years. This initiative allows us to measure social and environmental impacts on site, representing significant step forward in aligning our construction sites with the Circular Economy fundamentals. We also believe that our workers and suppliers become more committed in working in such an environment and they feel more engaged in supporting the creation of shared value between the communities and the company.”

The new facility filters wastewater through a series of ceramic membranes with BioGill-patented nanotechnology, which allows bacteria to purify water in a natural way. Up until the completion of Wayra I, due in the first half of 2018, the new treatment plant will allow EGPP to reuse around 350 cubic metres of wastewater at the construction site, therefore reducing overall water usage on site. Moreover, the wastewater treatment plant will reduce the use of motor vehicles for the removal of mud, avoiding the emission of 1.64 tonnes of CO2 during Wayra I’s construction.