Siemens will present the EcoRight MBR system, a wastewater treatment and reuse technology co-developed with Aramco Overseas Company BV. Extensive pilot testing will begin in the next few months. When commercially available, possibly in early 2011, the system could significantly reduce capital and operating costs compared to existing biological treatment technology.

Research on a ‘green’ solution for wastewater treatment is another project underway at Siemens' global R&D centre. This new process, which extracts energy from municipal wastewater, will result in a 50% lower sludge yield. Energy content in wastewater is harvested as biogas and converted to energy to create a plant that approaches energy independence. The lower sludge produced will mean a lower sludge handling cost for customers and less sent to the landfill. A scale-up version of the process is slated for pilot testing in October 2010, with commercial introduction scheduled for 2012.

Tim LeTourneau of Siemens Water Technologies (R&D) will present a technical paper at Singapore International Water Week (SIWW) titled; ‘The Quest for Low-Energy Desalination: Prototype Results’. Jens Wegmann, CEO of Siemens Industry Solutions, and Siemens Water Technologies president and CEO Chuck Gordon will participate in several panel discussions.

Chuck Gordon, president and CEO of Siemens Water Technologies said: “With our latest R&D projects we will allow customers to reduce life-cycle costs, decrease energy consumption, minimize waste and re-use water. We will continue to invest in and move ahead with our research and development activities in Singapore for the benefit of our customers worldwide.”