Nedap is committed to the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). But what does this mean in practice? And what benefits does it offer our customers? In this article, we explain how our UV lamp driver technology contributes to the development of sustainable solutions.
Achieving sustainability goals is a key priority for water sector professionals, especially in the context of Scope 3 emissions and the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). For those specializing in UV treatment technologies, aligning with these targets may seem daunting. Reduce your ecological footprint with Nedap’s UV driver technology. Achieve sustainability goals without compromising on performance.
The SBTi methodology is designed to help businesses align their emissions reduction targets with climate science. It encourages companies to reduce their CO2 emissions in line with global efforts to limit warming to well below 2 degrees. Scope 3 emissions result from the value chain, including sold products. These emissions are often the most challenging to reduce. This is especially true for high-power electronics like UV technology used on an industrial scale.
Nedap’s commitment to reducing its Scope 3 emissions aligns with this framework. We commit to the SBTi economic intensity target by cutting emissions from the use of our products year-over-year per unit of economic value.
On an industrial scale, the operational phase of UV systems has the largest CO₂ impact over their lifecycle, driven by the energy required for continuous performance. It is crucial to optimize the duty cycle, the time a product is active. Energy consumption can be reduced through strategic portfolio choices and energy efficient components. Using smart functionality is another key factor. Managing these aspects helps improve efficiency, cut costs, and support sustainability goals.
Optimization 1: Strategic portfolio choices
Nedap makes strategic choices in selecting components for its drivers, aligning with its SBTi targets. These efficient components help lower energy use during the product’s lifecycle. Nedap’s solution is designed to optimize energy efficiency without compromising on performance. By integrating these drivers into your UV systems, you minimize environmental impact and reduce total cost of ownership.
Sustainability leaders are tasked with ensuring that products comply with strict environmental and electrical regulations. An important consideration is how electrical systems interact with the power grid. We often see systems that use electricity in a way that is not always best compatible with conventional power grids. This leads to additional energy losses in infrastructure such as transformers and power lines. By complying with standards for harmonic distortion and ensuring minimal energy loss, businesses can enhance both operational efficiency and sustainability. Nedap’s drivers not only help meet regulatory requirements but also align with industry best practices, providing a reliable and energy-efficient solution for the future.
Infographic: By using high-quality lamp drivers with high Power Factor (0,99) and low Total Harmonic Distortion (THD) of 5%, you can achieve up to 9% electrical energy savings.
Looking ahead, the integration of AI technology in the water sector will play a critical role in making UV systems even more efficient. In the future, Nedap’s smart driver platforms could for example be enhanced with AI systems that automatically respond to changing water quality or consumption patterns. These intelligent UV systems would be able to dim or adjust lamp output in real-time, optimizing energy use during periods of lower demand. This would allow businesses to reduce operational costs and further decrease their carbon footprint. While this technology is still evolving, it holds the potential to help companies not only meet their Scope 3 goals but also remain adaptive and competitive in a rapidly changing market.
“Reducing emissions doesn’t just benefit the environment; it also makes sound economic sense. By lowering the energy consumption of your UV systems, you can significantly reduce lifecycle costs. This presents an opportunity to balance performance with sustainability while enhancing a competitive edge in the market.”
Nedap’s UV driver technology is more than just an upgrade to your water treatment systems; it’s a vital tool in achieving Scope 3 emissions reductions. This technology aligns with the SBTi methodology and helps your company achieve sustainability goals. Improve energy efficiency, meet future regulations, and enjoy economic and environmental benefits. Start integrating these solutions today for a cleaner, greener future for your business and the planet.
Nedap will participate in the International Ultraviolet Association (IUVA) World Congress taking place September 7-10, 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal.
Join Nedap UV at the WEFTEC 2025 Exhibit! The 98th Annual Technical Exhibition & Conference will take place at McCormick Place in Chicago, Illinois USA.
Conference: September 27 – October 1, 2025
Exhibition: September 29 – October 1, 2025
Meet Olga, marketing expert at Nedap for the past two years, and a member of the Sustainability Excellence team. Specializing in our UV lamp driver portfolio, Olga takes charge of both our internal and external communications. Let’s amplify the message on UV technology’s sustainable impact together.
For over 30 years, UV technology has proven to be very effective in water treatment. Resources like water and energy are becoming increasingly scarce. This makes Nedap’s UV driver portfolio very relevant. It facilitates integrators in designing energy-efficient UV systems. Together with our partners we explore how people and planet can profit from the power of UV technology. With existing disinfection and curing solutions, and in future applications. Together, we’re writing this story of sustainable impact. Through strategic alliances, we energize the UV industry.
“I like to work for a company that aims for a genuine and positive impact on planet, people and profit. By giving people autonomy in their work, shaping it yourself, Nedap has proven to be a very sustainable and good employer.”
Over the past two years, we have reshaped our marketing strategy. Our promise, “We power UV”, reflects our dedication to collaboration. Not just as a principle but as a practice. We see our customers as strategic partners, and work closely with lamp manufacturers to tackle technical challenges together.
By promoting the use of UV technology, we empower businesses to grow and innovate. Our series, “How Our Team Powers You,” showcases the diverse ways we contribute to our customers’ success across various disciplines.
We want to give a strong, powerful voice to UV technology. We believe that by aligning the story of UV, we can have more impact. Therefore, we are looking at ways to share best practises. If you are open for collaboration on marketing, please reach out and contact us.
Jürgen is a Hardware Engineer at Nedap, using his skills and expertise to design and test UV lamp drivers. Jürgen has enriched Nedap for over 26 years. He specializes in the CU/cUL certification process. He can help you design UV systems that meet international safety standards.
Nedap’s UV drivers are designed according to the UL/cUL standards. This makes it much easier for UV systems builders to integrate them in their system and get the product certified. Jürgen conducts the UL tests. He is responsible for the audits as part of Nedap’s participation in the Client Data Program.
“We are in the client data program and when we design a new driver we use the benefits of it. So our certified drivers make it much easier for our customers to install in their installation”
Manufacturers who sell internationally need to obtain UL/cUL certification. This gives them access to the US, Canadian, and other markets. The UL label signifies compliance with U.S. safety standards. The cUL label confirms the same for Canada. Both are issued by Underwriters Laboratories after testing. Using UL/cUL listed UV drivers generally shortens the certification process of a UV solution.
Jürgen and Nedap’s R&D experts are ready to support your designers. They offer advice and guidance at any stage. Together, we’ll enhance your UV system’s reliability and performance.
Want to know how our UV driver technology can power your ambitions? Let’s discover it together.
Remco is a Firmware Architect at Nedap, using his skills and expertise to contribute to the development of our latest 4/8 kW UV driver. Remco has been working at Nedap for over four years and is a specialist in software and firmware development. He’s helping our customers optimize processes by providing relevant and timely data insights.
Remco and the team are ready to support you when you are designing robust UV systems.
Nedap’s software team is developing and optimizing our industry-leading ‘smart’ lamp driver portfolio. Our next-generation electronic UV lamp drivers feature integrated Modbus communication and support onsite Bluetooth diagnostic monitoring – giving ultimate control.
Remco is involved in continuously enhancing the smart UV driver platform to supply the user with all relevant information about the driver and lamp.
“The drivers continuously measure and analyse the signals to guarantee efficient and uninterruptible operation. Providing customer insights about the performance of the driver and lamp enables them to optimize their systems and schedule maintenance.”
Next-generation UV drivers – including Nedap’s 4kW UV driver – use a Windows-based PC software tool that makes it easy to configure, control and monitor lamp driver data. The advanced software solution provides developers with more effective tools for testing the lamp driver and the UV solution. They can optimise systems during the design phase.
The integrated Bluetooth diagnostic monitoring provides real-time monitoring, alerts, diagnosis, and fault finding. Service engineers receive instant access to performance information and insights without disrupting the operational processes controlled by Modbus.
Remco and his expert colleagues in Nedap’s R&D department are ready to support your field engineers. They can provide specialist advice and guidance at any stage of the process, working with you to improve the reliability and optimise the performance of your UV system.
Want to know how our UV driver technology can power your ambitions? Let’s discover it together.
Ziad Taiem is the latest addition to the Nedap team. He started in November 2023, with his first week coinciding with the Aquatech fair in Amsterdam. The high-profile event was the perfect opportunity to become acquainted with the world of UV and Nedap’s leading role in the industry.
Today, Ziad is well-versed in UV driver technology and a dedicated member of the R&D team, where he is heavily involved in supporting existing customers and developing new hardware.
Nedap’s R&D team comprises experienced electrical hardware engineers, design and mechanical engineers and embedded software architects.
“When I first arrived at Nedap, I was amazed by the company’s remarkable scale and outstanding design. As I entered our office, I was warmly welcomed by my supervisor and colleagues, who not only extended their hospitality but also conveyed to me that I was a significant part of the team. This welcome left an important impression on me, affirming my sense of belonging and significance within the team.”
By listening to concerns and questions – and then providing assistance, guidance and resources – we help our customers solve problems and overcome challenges they face in their projects. We maintain continuous communication with our partners, working together to identify root causes, brainstorm solutions, and implement strategies.
Over the past 30 years, Nedap’s UV driver portfolio has developed to incorporate a broad range of low– and medium–pressure solutions. Because our partners rely on them for long-term use, quality, continuity, and customer support are crucial.
The R&D team develops new products and plays an important role in providing technical support to customers, serving as a knowledge base for our partners. Currently, the team is working on a new driver for low-pressure UV lamps. The unveiling will occur in early May during IFAT (Munich) and IUVA/Radtech (Orlando).
Ziad and his expert colleagues in our R&D department are ready to support your field engineers during the design phase. Our team is available whenever you require assistance. How can our UV driver technology power your ambitions? Let’s discover it together.
Andijk, the Netherlands, is home to the world’s first integrated membrane and UV peroxide advanced oxidation plant. The drinking water facility produces 120 million liters a day. The state-of-the-art UV installation is powered by Nedap’s sustainable UV lamp driver technology.
The water treatment plant uses surface water to create drinking water. This means that micro-pollutants need to be removed. The UV advanced oxidation process treats the water, destroying pesticides, hormones, and pharmaceuticals. At the same time, it also functions as an extra disinfection barrier for viruses and bacteria.
The facility in Andijk is equipped with 12 multi-lamp reactors (3 rows of 4 reactors), each containing 16 medium–pressure UV lamps. The reactors are powered by a total of 192 medium–pressure 12 kW drivers from Nedap. During operation, the lamps are dimmed to save energy and extend the lamp lifespan.
- Energy savings
- Reliable (almost 20 years in operation now)
- Lower operation costs
The high electrical efficiency of Nedap drivers (>95%), combined with the low THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) and high Power Factor, results in reduced load and losses in the power grid. Nedap’s UL/cUL approved lamp drivers also support stepless dimming, which has three major advantages:
- Energy saving
- Longer/extended lamp lifespan
- Preventing UV-overdoses
Communication via Modbus
Nedap’s lamp drivers support Modbus to provide real-time operational data of the system, via a PLC network. This gives operators insights into the performance of the drivers and connected lamps.
Full control with Nedap software
Dedicated Nedap software can be used by engineers to test the electronic platform and to fine-tune the UV lamp settings in relation to the required UV levels, preventing overdoses. The embedded software has a diagnose functionality to report about lamp status, lamp failure, lamp driver temperature and other system operations.
NR. 1 technology
Most efficient driver technology, requires less installation space. >900.000 electronic UV lamp drivers installed and in use worldwide.
Flexibility
Digital lamp selection and optimisation.
Reliable
Robust designs, resulting in optimal performance and an average service life of > 10 years.
Insights
Embedded software for system data reporting.
René has worked at Nedap for over 25 years. He has been captain of the R&D team for the last eight years and is closely involved in developing our product portfolio, including new driver technologies and solutions. Together with the team, René specialises in translating customer insights into new product features, ensuring we stay at the forefront of innovation.
The R&D team – led by René – is focused on developing UV drivers and platforms with the features our customers need. One relevant example is the ‘smart’ 4/8 kW lamp driver platform, a new product inspired by feedback from our valued customers.
The design of our drivers stands out and delivers high energy efficiency levels. This is important for two reasons. First, it means that less electrical energy is wasted as heat, which is environmentally friendly and results in cost savings for the end user. Second, a high-efficiency product is generally more reliable because it produces less heat stress on components.
At Nedap, we create a genuine, sustainable, and positive impact on the planet by developing solutions that enhance our customers’ success. Our R&D team focusses on creating products that optimize your UV solution’s performance and minimise operational costs.
Nedap’s UV lamp drivers address two key factors: saving energy and reducing service costs. Curious about the mechanism behind it? In this video we unravel the details.
René and his expert colleagues in our R&D department are ready to support your field engineers during the design phase. They are available to provide expert advice and guidance at any stage of the process, working with you to unlock efficiencies and improve environmental protection.
Want to know how our UV driver technology can power your ambitions? Let’s discover it together.
Ozon oxidation and UV advanced oxidation haven proven to be effective technologies for removal of micro-pollutants in wastewater. Because these technologies use (renewable) electrical energy and produce no waste, they have potential to help water utilities to reduce the CO2-footprint and reach their neutrality target.
We partner with UV professionals globally to create energy efficient UV systems at the lowest total costs of ownership. Integrating energy efficient UV drivers helps to reduce operational costs and carbon footprint, creating future proof UV systems.
On January 29th, the Council and the European Parliament’s negotiators reached a provisional political agreement on a proposal to review the urban wastewater treatment directive. The revised directive is one of the key deliverables under the EU’s zero-pollution action plan.
In the agreement, the co-legislators aligned the thresholds and timelines for quaternary treatment (the removal of a broad spectrum of micro-pollutants). By 2045, Member states will have to ensure the application of quaternary treatment in larger plants of 150,000 population equivalent and above, with intermediate targets in 2033 and 2039 for quaternary treatment.
Energy neutrality and renewables
The co-legislators also agreed that the urban wastewater treatment sector could play a significant role in significantly reducing greenhouse gas emissions and helping the EU achieve its climate neutrality objective. They introduced an energy neutrality target, meaning that by 2045 urban wastewater treatment plants will have to produce energy from renewable sources, based on regular energy audits, with progressive intermediate targets. This energy can be produced on or off-site, and up to 35% of non-fossil energy can be purchased from external sources. This percentage only applies to the final target.
Designing systems with optimal electrical efficiency has always been our focus. Now it’s even more relevant because of the sustainability ambitions of governments.
Energy efficiency is increasingly important for governments and industries. It is seen as the first building block for any energy strategy and stated in the COP28 declaration. In Germany, wastewater treatment facilities currently account for 20% of energy consumption, making them the biggest municipal energy consumers (source: FONA). In the coming decades, a further shortage of conventional energy sources and an increase in energy costs can be expected. Increasing energy and resource efficiency in water management is therefore of crucial importance worldwide.
Advancements in oxidation technologies
The opportunity for advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in water and wastewater treatment is growing concurrently with the increasing drive towards water reuse and stricter regulations for wastewater discharge. This brings AOPs to the forefront of dealing with new treatment challenges.
Leading the way
With more than 16,000 publicly owned wastewater treatment systems, the United States forms a large potential market for UV vendors. The industry is familiar with UV-hydrogen peroxide treatment due to several decades of experience. UV treatment coupled with the addition of hydrogen peroxide is the most commonly employed AOP for municipal water and wastewater, either for drinking water or municipal water reuse. This is due to the simple fact that it often comes out as the most cost-effective solution. The UV/hydrogen peroxide combination has been installed in major treatment plants since the early 2000s, with the 2008s Orange County, CA being the first ‘toilet-to-tap’ treatment plant in the USA.
Combining technology increases effectiveness and efficiency
Ozon oxidation and UV advanced oxidation have proven to be effective technologies for removal of micro-pollutants in wastewater. Because these technologies use (renewable) electrical energy and produce no waste, they have potential to help water utilities to reduce the carbon footprint and reach their neutrality target. Several pilots have been conducted to compare the carbon footprint (meanly energy costs) of UV peroxide oxidation and ozonation with other technologies, like Granular Activated Carbon (GAC) or Powdered Activated Carbon in Activated Sludge (PACAS).
> Image: The MicroForce++ technology combines ozonation and biological oxidation and has a removal efficiency of 80%, low carbon footprint and low cost per m3 treated water.
Customization being the standard
The pilots and full-scale applications have set a clear rule: there is no one size fits all approach. The make-up of streams that require treatment varies wildly from industry to industry (and sometimes between streams in one facility) and technology application requires large amounts of customization. Full scale pilot studies do show that when combining filtration technologies with ozonization or an AOP step with UV and hydrogen peroxide, the removal efficiencies greatly increase. This results in high quality water that for example can be reused in the industrial processes.
> Image: The Ozone treatment technology of MicroForce shows that the total CO2 footprint only slightly increases compared to the reference situation without post-treatment, and that this increase is almost entirely due to the energy required to generate and introduce the ozone.
Lower CO2 Footprint of UV Treatment
Dutch research conducted by Witteveen + Bos (2023) showed that UV peroxide oxidation technology can have a lower or comparable environmental impact in certain cases compared to activated carbon and ozonation. This is highly dependent on the UV transmission of the wastewater. Higher transmission means lower energy consumption. In case of low transmission, the wastewater can be pretreated with a sand filter and flocculation.
> Image: The Advanox AOP system combines UV-C light with hydrogen peroxide to effectively break down micro-pollutants. The CO2- footprint primarily consists of the required electronic energy. This consumption is the smallest when the water has high transmission values (70% T10); then the technology works most efficiently, and the CO2 footprint is lower compared to other technologies. If renewable energy is also utilized, the impact decreases even further.
Source: H2OWaternetwerk.nl (Sept. 2023)
How Nedap UV driver technology helps to reduce energy consumption
Within the proven UV technology, there are two main streams: low-pressure and medium-pressure systems. Low-pressure UV systems are more energy-efficient compared to the more compact medium-pressure systems. By accurately and smartly controlling the large, multi-lamp systems, the system can become even more energy efficient. The electrical efficiency of the UV lamp drivers also makes a difference. This is exactly what distinguishes Nedap driver technology.
> Image: St Anthony Village is the 35th public water system in North America to specifically treat 1,4 Dioxane using Advanced Oxidation with UV-Peroxide. The six (6) Trojan UVPhox Reactors each contain 144 low-pressure high-output UV lamps. The overall system can remove more than 99% of 1,4 Dioxane at Peak Flow Conditions of 3,000 GPM. Source: www.health.state.mn.us (August 2017)
Contact us
Nedap is dedicated to reducing our environmental footprint through smart driver technology that meets current regulations and anticipates future trends. Get in touch to discover how our team can support your business.
