Towards a Sustainable Urban Metabolism: Algae-to-Energy Systems as Clean Cycles in the Urban Water Chain

This study includes an analysis of the urban water chain in Germany (water supply, wastewater and sludge management); followed by an analysis of the integration of algae systems on the level of wastewater treatment plants. Then, the scope of the study is extended to put the results in context of the urban metabolism. The relevance of the urban water chain - with and without algae - for the urban energy balance and the urban flows of nutrients and anthropogenic micropollutants is assessed.