The feasibility study afforded NVP Energy the opportunity to perform the following research during the reporting period:
• Perform analysis of the Food & Drinks industry in the EU – an industry which has a market value of $1.4 trillion and which accounts for employment of 4 million people in the EU (IMAP, 2010),
• The identification of the EU as a main player in the dairy processing market accounting for almost 25% of the world’s milk production (IDF Bulletin: The World Dairy Situation 476, 2014), with the highest milk-producing countries and the relevant industrial players defined from a thorough review of member states,
• An overview of the AD total addressable and available markets in a range of EU member states was defined for Germany, France, the UK and Ireland with barriers to market identified,
• Detailed analysis of EU incentives (renewable energy heat and/or electricity) and funding opportunities for AD technologies for particular member states was carried out,
• Assessment of the EU legal, regulatory and certification requirements for a WW treatment technology such as Lt-AD and AD as a general treatment methodology was carried out.
Following this analysis, Germany, the UK and Ireland were highlighted as being the initial key target countries in the Milk Treatment & Processing sector of EU sector, with France, the Netherlands and Italy for the next stage exploitation. It is envisaged that a Phase 2 application will focus on the UK and Ireland for a full-scale demonstrator site location due to the following reasons:
1. Close proximity to NVP Energy headquarters in Ireland,
2. Significant AD government incentives,
3. Acceptance of AD as a WW treatment technology,
4. Lack of language barrier,
5. Large dairy industrial presence – especially of the larger players in the market such as Kerry Group, Glanbia, Arla Foods, Dairy Crest, Müller, and Danone SpA.
As a result of these market focus outcomes, NVP Energy developed a bespoke WW questionnaire for EU potential users to assess their WW streams and applicability for the NVP Energy technology. A number of high-profile companies were involved in this process with significant interest in pursuing a demonstrator plant shown. Following from the identification of target countries and industries the following outcomes were achieved:
• Valuable meetings and presentations conducted with key figures in Ireland, the UK and Germany (Müller, Glanbia, Kerry, Arla Foods and Arrabawn),
• A detailed assessment of complementary and competing technologies was conducted where the Lt-AD technology was compared to technologies currently on the market in terms of energy consumption, energy generation, sludge production, surface area requirement, odour and emissions. The novel NVP Energy technique showed excellent efficiencies in all respects, when compared to competing products. A number of key complementary technologies were identified as being of benefit to end-users either pre- or post- Lt-AD in order to enhance the treatment efficiencies to those required to satisfy effluent release requirements. Indicative flow charts on treatment efficiencies expected with the incorporation of pre- and post-technologies were generated,
• A consortium of end-users, subcontractors and beneficiaries for a Phase 2 SME demonstrator-scale project was identified,
• A concise list of predicted issues associated with up-scaling from a pilot to a demonstrator-scale project were defined with valuable input from process engineers,
• A clear NVP Energy rollout & investment opportunity was identified for the time period of 2015 – 2022,
• Market penetration analysis (UK, Ireland, and EU) performed on addressable market (2015 – 2021), with projected market share defined,
• Value proposition described: quantifiable financial benefits for a typical industrial client.
It is also worthwhile noting that during the course of this Phase 1 SME funding that NVP Energy presented the novel Lt-AD technology at the 4th Annual World Water-Tech Investment Summit in London, from March 9th – 11th 2015. The sponsors and partners of the event included Enterprise Ireland, NuWater, and British Water. The benefits of the novel technology for the treatment of low strength WW was very well received by key water treatment industrial figures. Following this trade-show, an article on the benefits of the NVP Energy technology was published in Global Water Intelligence, March 2015 issue (Figure 1).
NVP energy were also delighted to be recently announced as winners of the Most Innovative New Technology of the Year award at the Water Industry Achievement (WIA) Awards. The WIA awards reward outstanding innovation in the UK Water industry, in particular technologies that are seen to be breaking new ground and exceeding customer expectations. The company was subsequently awarded its 2nd innovation award in April 2015 when it was announced the winner of the Innovation Award for Energy from Waste at the Environment & Energy (E&E) Awards. The E&E awards recognise the top UK and Irish companies who push the boundaries of innovation and showcase the very best advancements in green technologies. Awards achieved: Most Innovative New Technology of the Year (www.waterindustryachievementawards.info/wiaa2015/2015-winners) (Figure 2a), and (b) Environment and Energy Awards, 22nd April: Innovation Award for Energy from Waste (www.eeawards.net/eeawards2015/2015-winners) (Figure 2b).
