The Singapore Commercialization Ecosystem

Harry SEAHChief Technology Officer

PUB, Singapore

1

is a statutory board under the Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, and is the national water agency of Singapore

Singapore

Singapore

Land Area: 710km2

Population: 5.4millionAverage Annual Rainfall: 2400mmAverage Water Demand: 1.8mil m3/day

(400mgd)

Non-domestic

55%

Supply

Desalinated water 10%

NEWater 30%

Imported water

Local catchment

Domestic 45%

Demand

2010

Non-domestic

70%

Domestic 30%

Desalinated water 25%

NEWater 55%

Imported water

Local catchment

SupplyDemand

2060

Water demand in 2060 = 2 x Water demand in 2011*

Energy

• Triple from 1050 to 3200 GWh/year

• Footprint increase from 1.7 to 2.5 kWh/m3

Sludge

• Double to more than 600,000 tonnes /year

Water Quality

• Maintaining good water quality and security increasingly challenging

Land Use

• Siting of infrastructure increasingly challenging

Singapore’s Water Challenges

Drivers for PUB’s R&D

To continue leveraging on technological innovation to overcome the water

challenges.

PUB’s Mission

First Adopter of New

Solutions and Technology

Testbedding at PUB

Test-Bedding and Trials of New Technologies and Ideas

Keppel

MemstillDemonstration Pilot

at Singapore Refining Company

Visenti

Wireless sensor network is deployed

in a water distribution network to enable

real time monitoring

GE

Developing Anaerobic

Membrane Bio-reactor (MBR) pilot

plant

Toray

A combination of the Membrane Bioreactor

(MBR) and Reverse Osmosis (RO) process at

Kranji WRP

More than 150 test-bedding projects at PUB facilities

involving over 70 local and overseas companies;

Bringing technology closer to markets

Reverse

Osmosis

Ultraviolet

Disinfection

Primary

Sedimentation

Tank

Final

Sedimentation Tank

Used Water Treatment NEWater Treatment

Aeration

Basin

Primary

Sedimentation

Tank

Microfiltration /

Ultrafiltration

Reverse

Osmosis

Ultraviolet

Disinfection

Used Water NEWater

Example - Improving NEWater Production

Piloting tested three MBRs (300 m3/d) in 2004

Membrane

Bioreactor

1. Source for new ideas

2. Benchmark against existing

system

3. Improve technology through

basic and applied research

4. Demonstrate and implement improvised technology

4-step Approach:

Assessment of New Technology/ Idea

• In 2006, National Research Foundation set aside S$330mil over five years to grow the water industry; S$140 mil added in 2011

• Whole-of-government approach

Environment and Water Industry Programme Office

2015 Targets for

Environment Water Industry Programme Office (EWI) :

i. Increase value-add from S$0.5bn to S$1.7bn

ii. Double number of jobs to 11,000

Multi-Agency Set-Up for EWI

Initiatives to Support Technology Development

Basic Research Applied Research Test-Bedding Commercialisation

Research Funding Schemes

1. Incentive for Research & Innovation Scheme (IRIS)

2. Innovation Development Scheme (IDS)

On PUB front,Increase of annual R&D Budget from S$5mil to S$20mil in 2010

Commercialisation Schemes

3. Fast Tech 4. TechPioneer5. Test-Bedding with PUB

NEW IDEASTECHNOLOGY

TO MARKET

Case Studies

Energy-efficient WRPs with higher recovery

Integrated Validation Plant (IVP)

Expected Outcomes of IVP (24 mths)• 150% more energy recovery• 40% reduction of net system energy consumption• 30% reduction in plant footprint• 10% reduction in quantity of waste dewatered sludge

PUB Manages the Entire Water LoopElectrochemical Desalination Technology

85% Membrane Utilisation

6 x Lower Footprint

Molded commercial

components

Automation in assembly

2015

Funding Support:EWI IRIS Testbedding TechPioneer

EnergyEnergy

WaterWater

Solid Waste Incineration Requires Water For Cooling, Washing

Water Treatment Produces Sludge, Brine for Disposal, Discharge

Power Generation Requires Water for Cooling

Solid Waste Incineration Produces Energy (Electricity)

Wastewater Treatment Produces Energy (Methane)

WasteWaste

Water Requires Energy for Treatment, Distribution

Power Generation Produces Waste Heat

Energy and Water are non-separable. They are

intricately-linked and interdependent

Energy, Water and Waste Nexus

Co-location of Facilities

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Through co-location, current WASTE generated from facilities can be recovered as resources!

PRO

MD

AC

SWRO

Solid stream

treatment

WRP

Treatedeffluent

NEWater plant

Sea

Power Plant

Incineration plantConsumers

Water Reclamation facilities

Desalination facilities

Desalinated water NEWater

Water Supply

Power

Biogas

Used water

Solid WasteOther waste

(less recyclable)

FoodWaste

Purified air

Purified air

Fuel

Fuel

Power

SWROBrine

NW brine

Wasteheat

Wasteheat

For cooling water

Common intake

Seawater

Commingled concentrate with lower

environmental impact

Residues for

beneficial reuse/

disposal

Dried sludge

Water WasteEnergy

Power

Power

Power

Liquid stream

treatment

Power

Power

Power

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Desalination Plant

co-location

NEWater Factory

Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO): • Osmosis through a semi-permeable membrane dependent on the osmotic

pressure difference of 2 streams, generating a water flux to generate power via a hydropower turbine.

Brine

Brine

Energy-Waste-Water Nexus: Co-location of facilities to exploit salinity

gradient power from SWRO and NEWaterbrines

Osmotic Power – Current Technologies

Basic Research

Applied Research

Test-bedding & Demonstration

Proof of Concept (POC)

Proof of Value (POV)

Incubation

Global Export

Early Adoption

The “Chasm”

Whole-of-Government Approach• Multi-agency approach to

support technology development from TRL 1 to 9

• Importance of government funding to de-risk costs of product development, especially if the development time frame is long! • Challenges in getting

the 1st commercial project

• First $3 – 5 million?

• Government’s role to create a conducive environment and eco-system to support our start-up companies

Researchers

Aspiring Entrepreneurs

Start-Up Companies

Small, Medium

Enterprises / MNCs