Developing local and regional first technologies

As Singapore grows to become a global hydro hub and regional leader in waste management, the environmental industry is expected to be worth $14.6 billion by 2015.

Business prospects are good for companies in the four key environmental technology segments of waste management and recycling, water and wastewater treatment, air pollution control and sustainable energy.

SPRING Singapore hopes to accelerate the efforts of enterprising environmental SMEs by giving grants for individual projects and industry collaborations to develop commercially viable environmental technologies.

With SPRING's support, enterprises in various stages of growth are strengthened. For example, SPRING helped waste-to-energy start-up Alpha Synovate to develop a first-of-its-kind micro bio- diesel reactor. Eveready Manufacturing, a medium-sized plastic recycling company, has automated its recycling process with a regional first infra-red sorter.

Mr Victor Tay, SPRING's Director of Transport, Logistics, Environ-mental and Engineering Services, Biomedical and Chemicals, explains that the environmental industry is in its budding stage. Industry collaboration therefore is a scalable way to jump-start production.

"It is with this in mind that we have given a collaborative venture like Dayen-AquaBlu a boost in their R&D efforts," he continued. "We are proud to have developed a regional first ultraviolet reactor for water purification."

Keen to see more local environmental firms making a mark in the industry, Mr Tay added, "SMEs have shown great potential to become strong niche players in Singapore and beyond. It is technology and innovation that make an environmental enterprise competitive."

Biodiesel processor start-up turns waste cooking oil into motor fuel

"Waste to energy is our core philosophy," said co-founders Tan Hai Woon (right) and Allan Lim (centre).

From producing bio-diesel to seeding green social enterprises, Alpha Synovate Pte Ltd is going places.

Alpha Synovate received support from SPRING's Capability Development Programme to develop a small-scale processor that can produce 10 tonnes of bio-diesel a month from waste cooking oils.

In January 2008, it made history by being the first local enterprise to produce and retail bio-diesel. Since then, 200 vehicles in Singapore have topped up with Alpha Biofuel^TMB100 (100% bio-diesel), currently selling about 13% cheaper than regular diesel.

Co-founders Allan Lim and Tan Hai Woon hope more drivers will go green and realise the benefits of bio-diesel, which improves engine performance and produces less carbon dioxide and cleaner exhaust.

Mr Lim shared their plans to start a test plant later this year to up monthly production to 200 tonnes. That's enough to keep 400 vehicles on the road daily. A similar facility will be built in Guangzhou next year.

"Our bio-diesel processor solves the waste problem and produces clean and sustainable energy," he said. "We hope to implement the system in cities like Beijing, Shanghai, Bangalore, Bangkok and Jakarta with similar waste problems. Waste to energy is our core philosophy."

A technology spin-off that has already taken flight is helping a social enterprise in Cambodia. Alpha Synovate provided a micro refinery for an orphanage, which processes waste oil from local food companies and sells it to a children's hospital to power its electricity generator. Besides helping the hospital to acquire cheap fuel, Alpha Synovate offers technology transfer and employment opportunities.

Mr Lim also wants to collaborate with industry players to develop platforms that integrate bio gas, bio-diesel, solar and other green technologies to convert more types of waste into clean, renewable energy.

Collaborative venture develops region's first tangential UV reactor for purer water

Mr Teo Hock Heng, General Manager of Dayen Environmental Limited, is looking forward to commercialising the UV water disinfection system.

The completion of a pilot ultraviolet (UV) water disinfection system will mark a watershed for environmental engineering specialist Dayen Environmental Limited and pool technology leader AquaBlu Pools Pte Ltd.

The two companies set up a joint venture company called Dayen-AquaBlu Technologies Pte Ltd in 2006 to do research and development on disinfection technology for water and wastewater treatment applications. One of its key projects is developing a water disinfection system that uses UV light in a unique reactor to purify water.

Mr Teo Hock Heng, General Manager of Dayen Environmental Limited, believes the system has the potential to replace current water disinfection technologies that use chlorine and ozone, chemicals which are hazardous to public health and the environment. UV can also prevent harmful viruses and bacteria from reproducing in the pipelines.

"The ultimate benefit would be a safer environment and cleaner water," he said.

Dayen-AquaBlu has invested $1.2 million to develop the pilot system in-house. The project, supported by SPRING's Capability Development Programme, is now in final testing and modification.

Early results show that the pilot system is 1.5 times more efficient than similar models from the US and Europe. Mr Teo hopes it will soon make waves in the $500-billion global water treatment market.

Waste recycler develops region's first infra-red plastics sorter

Managing Director Wee Sang Kiang (right) and Director Ma Pow Tan are confident that the technology can make inroads into regional markets.

Eveready Manufacturing Pte Ltd is the first in Singapore to develop an automated plastics sorting system that can potentially transform the process of plastic recycling in South-east Asia.

The company spent two years designing, developing and fabricating the system, which uses infra-red technology to swiftly scan large amounts of waste and accurately identify different types of recyclable plastics.

Once sorted, the plastics can be melted to produce ready-to-use raw material for sale to manufacturers.

Managing Director Wee Sang Kiang said, "It's not easy to handle post-consumer waste because it tends to be mixed and dirty. To recycle the plastics, we must first sort the waste. The best way to do it is to use an automated sorting line."

The new system, which can sort two tonnes of waste an hour with almost 100% accuracy, costs $1 million to develop.

Mr Wee is grateful for funding support under SPRING's Capability Development Programme.

He said: "The grant is very useful because we're a small company. Also, as this is an R&D project, there are certain risks involved and we could not be 100% sure of success when we started working on it. Without SPRING's CDP, we would not complete the project so quickly."

When the system goes live, Mr Wee foresees saving 80% in manpower costs. He also believes the system will "definitely increase the recycling rate in Singapore". ET