This paper develops a set of criteria that can be used to study industry adoption and dissemination of water technologies through various stages of a market adoption model. It tests the applicability of these criteria on a diverse array of over 488 water technologies. Based on case studies, it seeks to define the typical and…
As the nutrient recovery specialist is bought out, BlueTech CEO Paul O’Callaghan looks back on his time at the water technology start-up that created an entirely new business model. Ostara, the Canadian resource-recovery specialist which became the ‘poster child’ of phosphorus recovery technology, has been fully acquired by its existing major investor and majority…
Paul O’Callaghan was lead author on the groundbreaking report Water Technology Markets 2010. This report analysed the prospects of a wide range of innovative technologies across the water and wastewater treatment space. A decade later, we take stock of the changes in Water Technology Markets 2020. What has come to pass? What never materialised? What…
Danish pump giant Grundfos announced in April that it would be closing its BioBooster division, affecting some 27 staff, and that it would cease its activities over the coming months. BioBooster MBR is a patented technology that combines biological treatment with a rotating ceramic membrane bioreactor (0.2 μm). The BioBooster was first tested at Herlev…
This Easter break, for the first time ever, I spent two weeks of vacation at home. Not something I would ever have planned, tending to always want to visit different places and experience new things, but this year was we traded Sri Lanka for a stay-cation and it was a revelation. Staying at home was…
A Black Swan event is a term used by Nicholas Taleb, to describe a turbulent event outside of the realm of our previous experience. According to Taleb, things which are anti-fragile, get stronger when challenged, while things which are fragile, break when shocked. The stock market and global supply chains are fragile. Our communities are…
A look at the issues posed by microplastics in water, including a discussion of the status of research. Read the full article here.
This paper analyzes six case studies of new water technology innovations in the last three decades and investigates the differences in timelines for moving through the various stages of water technology commercialization. The concept of two different types of innovation was explored: Crisis/Needs Driven and Value Driven. It was found that the case studies that…
This paper develops a set of criteria that can be used to study industry adoption and dissemination of water technologies through various stages of a market adoption model. It tests the applicability of these criteria on a diverse array of over 488 water technologies. Based on case studies, it seeks to define the typical and…