Dr. Alan Gregerman

What are the Drivers for

Water Innovation?

• Population increase

• Climate change effects

• Aging infrastructure

• More stringent regulations

• Water scarcity

“New NASA data show how world is running out of water” June, 2015

• “Utility of the Future”

• Re-NEW-able resources

– Nutrients

– Energy

– Water

Resources in wastewater increasingly more concentrated &/or valuable What’s the value & the market? What can we “mine” and How?

“New” Water

Energy

Metals

“Used” Water

Others?

Various Technologies and Policies (current and future)

Nutrients Water

Nutrients & other

resources Energy

Biosolids, etc.

What specific activities are most important to

drive innovation in the water sector? 1. Broad access to performance data 76%

2. Pilots/demonstrations 76%

3. Raising awareness of new technologies available 73%

4. Overcoming the conservative mindset of the industry 71%

5. Risk sharing 70%

6. Fundamental research 60%

7. Removing regulatory barriers 57%

8. Third party technology evaluations 49%

9. Cooperation among utilities to share cost 41%

10. New business approaches 38%

11. Funding for startup companies 16% Source: LIFT Survey, 2014

How Big is the Global

Water Market?

Estimate of the Global Market

Acknowledgement: Glen Daigger, One Water Solutions

Developed Countries and China Represent Largest Municipal Water and Wastewater Treatment Markets

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

50

1 2 3 4 5

$ B

illio

n

Year

Australia

Germany

Korea

UK

Brazil

France

Japan

China

US

2013 2014 2015 2016 2017

GWI, 2014 Acknowledgement: Glen Daigger, One Water Solutions

Source: GWI, 2014

Water Technology

Development “Hot Spots”

Traditional North American and European Centers, along with Other Active Areas

Singapore

Korea

China

Israel

Acknowledgement: Glen Daigger, One Water Solutions

North American

Water Innovation Clusters • Accelerate H2O (Texas)

• Akron Global Water Alliance

• The BlueTechValley (California)

• Cleveland Water Cluster

• Colorado Water Innovation Cluster

• Confluence (Cincinnati)

• Michigan Water Technology Initiative

• The Water Council (Milwaukee)

• New England Water Innovation Network

• Nevada Center of Excellence in Water

• Pittsburgh Water Economy Network

• Southwest Water Cluster Initiative

• Urban Clean Water Technology Zone (Tacoma)

• WaterTAP (Ontario)

Source: Massachusetts Water Technology Industry Roadmap, 2015

Source: Massachusetts Water Technology Industry Roadmap, 2015

Moving Innovation into Practice

Diffusion of Innovation

Adapted from D. Parker, 2013 and E. Rogers, 1995

Pilot

First Demonstration

First Applications

LIFT Program Components

1. Technology Evaluation

Program

2. People and Policy

3. Communication

4. Informal Forum for R&D

Managers

LIFT Participants

• Initially about 25 facility owner members, currently about 280+ members

LIFT

Working

Group:

• Established for non-facility owners including consultants, academics, equipment manufacturers, etc.

VEP (Volunteer

Experts Pool):

Technology Push: LIFT Technology Scans

…Technology Pull: LIFT Focus Areas

LIFT Process

LIFT Technology Scans

Technology Focus Areas

Shortcut Nitrogen Removal

P-Recovery

Digestion Enhancements

Biosolids to Energy

Energy from Wastewater

Collection Systems

Green Infrastructure

New

Shortcut N Removal Focus Group

• Peer to Peer Information Sharing

• Deammonification Workshop

• Research Needs

• State of the Art Consensus Document

P-Recovery Focus Group

P-Recovery

Technology Fact

Sheet (about 40

technologies)

•Mechanical – sonication, milling, mixing, electro pulse, pressure release, hydrodynamic cavitation

•Thermal – thermal hydrolysis, pre-pasteurization

•Chemical – ozone, H2O2, enzymes, caustic, micronutrient supplements

Pre-Digestion

•Thermophilic Digestion

•Anaerobic/Aerobic

•Mesophilic Digestion

•Acid/Gas

•Temperature Phased Anaerobic Digestion (TPAD)

Advanced Digestion

LIFT Digestion Enhancements Focus Group:

Technologies

Energy from Wastewater Focus Group:

Technologies

• Effluent Heat Extraction

• Microbial Fuel Cell / Electrolysis Cell

• Mainstream Anaerobic Treatment

• Hydrokinetic Energy Recovery

• Algae Production

• Osmotic Power

• Enhanced Primary Solids Removal

• Raw Wastewater Heat Extraction

• Centrate Heat Recovery

• Ammonia for Fuel

Biosolids to Energy Focus Group:

Technologies

1. Gasification

2. Hydrothermal Gasification / Liquifaction

3. Pyrolysis

4. Super Critical Water Oxidation

5. Chemical Extraction

6. Other

Collaborations for

Research, Development, Demo & Deployment

Universities

Federal Agencies

Financers

Consultants

Utilities

Technology Providers

Others NGOs

Example Utility-University Collaboration:

Biogas Cleaning

• Siloxanes are a problematic biogas

contaminant which significantly increases

cost of gas recovery

• Project will evaluate performance of different

siloxanes sorbtion media

• 8 different wastewater facilities, universities,

and EPA collaborating

Example Utility-Vendor Collaboration:

Biosolids to Energy • Hydrothermal Processing

Technology

• Produces crude oil &

natural gas from wet

organic waste

• 10 Utility Participants

• Genifuel Vendor

• U.S. Dept. of Energy

• U.S. EPA

What’s ahead for LIFT?

5 New LIFT Priorities

1. Utility-University Connections

2. Business Case for Innovation

3. Test Bed Network

4. See/Visit New Technologies

5. Funding for Innovation

Intensification of Resource Recovery Forum

Aug. 9-11, 2015

Manhattan College, New York

Two New Projects of Note

• Fostering Research and Innovation within Water Utilities (Water RF/WERF)

• Guidelines for Utilities Wishing to Conduct Pilot Scale Demonstrations

LIFT Link

Database / Web Platform

LIFT MA Toolbox

LIFT Website: werf.org/lift

LIFT Contacts at WEF and WERF

www.werf.org/lift

WEF

Matt Ries – mries@wef.org 703-684-2406

Claudio Ternieden – cternieden@wef.org 703-684-2416 • People and Policy • Communication and Education

WERF

Jeff Moeller – jmoeller@werf.org 571-384-2104

Ravi George – rgeorge@werf.org 571-384-2105 • Technology Evaluation Program

• Technology Focus Groups