Research
My research uses tools from engineering (process modeling and life cycle assessment) and policy (benefit-cost analysis and decision science) in order to identify pathways to create sustainable energy and water infrastructure systems during the transition to a low-carbon grid. In particular my research seeks to:
- Identify technically and economically efficient pathways for regulatory compliance at coal-fired power plants;
- Quantify the benefits of policy interventions for creating affordable municipal water systems with reduced environmental impact; and
- Define the role of power generation in the circular economy.
Environmental Compliance at Coal-Fired Power Plants
Even as the grid transitions to lower-carbon sources, coal-fired power plants will continue to contribute to the US electricity fuel mix into the forseeable future. During this period, we will need technologies and approaches to reducing emissions of air pollution, greenhouse gasses, and water discharges. This work addresses the connections between air and water pollution from coal-fired power plants while evaluating emerging technologies that seek to decouple air and water.
Papers
Gingerich, D.B.; Zhao, Y.; Mauter, M.S. Environmentally significant shifts in trace element emissions from coal plants complying with the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, Energy Policy, 2019, 132, 1206-1215.
Sun, X.; Gingerich, D.B.; Azevedo, I.L.; Mauter, M.S. Trace element mass flow rates from U.S. coal fired power plants, Environmental Science & Technology, 2019, doi: 10.1021/acs.est.9b01039.
Gingerich, D.B.; Grol, E.; Mauter, M.S. Fundamental Challenges and Engineering Opportunities in Flue Gas Desulfurization Wastewater Treatment at Coal Fired Power Plants, Environmental Science: Water Research & Technology, 2018, 4, 909-925.
Gingerich, D.B.; Mauter, M.S., Redesigning the Regulated Power Plant: Optimizing Energy Allocation to Electricity Generation, Water Treatment, and Carbon Capture Processes at Coal-Fired Generating Facilities, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2018, 6 (2), 2694-2703.
Gingerich, D.B.; Bartholomew, T.V.; Mauter, M.S. Technoeconomic Optimization of Emerging Technologies for Regulatory Analysis, ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2018, 6 (2), 2370-2378.
Gingerich, D.B.; Sun, X.; Behrer, A.P.; Azevedo, I.M.L.; Mauter, M.S., Spatially resolved air-water emissions tradeoffs improve regulatory impact analyses for electricity generation, Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, 2017, 114(8), 1862-1867.
Zhou, X.; Gingerich, D.B.; Mauter, M.S., Process Modeling of Forward Osmosis Systems Using Waste Heat from Electric Power Generation, Industrial & Chemical Engineering Research, 2015, 54 (24), 6378-6389.
Conference Papers and Presentations
Gingerich, D.; Zhao, Y.; Grol, E.; and Mauter, M., Quantifying Shifts in Trace Element Emissions from Coal-Fired Power Plants, AIChE Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, 2018.
Gingerich, D.; Mauter, M. Redesigning the Regulated Power Plant: Optimizing Energy Allocation to Electricity Generation, Carbon Capture, and Water Treatment Processes at Coal-Fired Power Plants, AIChE Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, 2018.
Gingerich,D.; Bartholomew, T.; Mauter, M., Technoeconomic Optimization of Waste Heat Driven Forward Osmosis for Flue Gas Desulfurization Wastewater Treatment, ASME Power Conference, Charlotte, NC, 2017.
Gingerich, D. and Mauter; M., Retrofitting the Regulated Power Plant, AEESP Meeting, Ann Arbor, MI, 2017.
Gingerich, D.; Sun, X.; Behrer, A.P.; Azevedo, I.; Mauter, M., Air Emission Implications of Expanded Wastewater Treatment at Coal-Fired Generators, ACS Fall Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, 2016.
Gingerich, D.; Mauter, M., Water Treatment Capacity Utilizing Power Plant Waste Heat Driven Forward Osmosis, Technology, Management and Policy Consortium, Pittsburgh, PA, 2015.
Gingerich, D.; Mauter, M., Evaluation of the Techno-Economic Feasibility of Waste-Heat Driven Water Treatment at Electric Power Generation Facilities, AEESP Meeting, New Haven, CT, 2015. Presentation Award.
Sustainability of Municipal Water Infrastructure
With a D and D+ grade, the water and wastewater infrastructure of the United States is in need of serious investment if it is to continue to protect public health from conventional and emerging contaminants. Upgrading these systems are a costly proposition for utilities and may have large environmental externalities. This work seeks to understand the impacts of municipal water infrastructure on rate payers and the environment and possible ways to reduce these impacts.
Papers
Gingerich, D.B.; Mauter, M.S., Air Emission Benefits of Biogas Electricity Generation at Municipal Wastewater Treatment Plants, Environmental Science & Technology, 2018, 52 (3) 1633-1643.
Gingerich, D.B.; Mauter, M.S., Air Emissions Damages from Municipal Drinking Water Treatment Under Current and Proposed Regulatory Standards, Environmental Science & Technology, 2017, 51 (18), 10299-10306.
Gingerich, D.B.; Aditi, A., Barnett, M., Is the Arsenic Rule Affordable? Journal American Water Works Association, 2017, 109 (9), E381-E392.
Conference Papers and Presentations
Gingerich, D.; Mauter, M., Air Emission Reduction Benefits of Biogas Electricity Generation at Wastewater Treatment Plants. AIChE Annual Meeting, Pittsburgh, PA, 2018.
Gingerich, D.; Barnett, M., Incorporation of Income Distribution Into the EPA’s Affordability Metrics. AWWA Conference & Exposition, Denver, CO, 2013.
Power Systems in a Circular Economy
New natural gas plants are between 40-50% efficient at converting thermal energy to electricity and coal generation has an average efficiency around 30%. The rest of that heat is released to the environment as residual heat, but could be captured instead and turned to economically useful ends. This work seeks to understand the potential for residual heat - and the limitations on its use.
Papers
Gingerich, D.B.; Mauter, M.S., Quantity, Quality, and Availability of Residual Heat from the US Power Sector, Environmental Science & Technology, 2015, 49 (14), 8297-8306.
Conference Papers and Presentations
Contact
Email: dbgingerich [at] cmu [dot] edu Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Twitter Porter Hall 119
ResearchGate 5000 Forbes Ave
Linkedin Pittsburgh, PA 15221