International Wastewater Systems arranges $2-million private placement
International Wastewater Systems arranges $2-million private placement
Momentum Public Relations
Press Release: May 29, 2017
International Wastewater Systems Inc. is offering, on a non- brokered private placement basis, up to 2,000 debenture units at a price of $1,000 per debenture unit for gross proceeds of up to $2-million.
Each debenture unit will consist of one $1,000 principal amount senior unsecured convertible debenture and 2,500 share purchase warrants, each exercisable into one common share of the company at 30 cents per share for a period of three years from the date of issuance.
The debentures will bear interest at a rate of 12 per cent per annum from the closing date of the placement and will mature on the date that is 36 months from the closing date. The debentures are convertible into shares at 30 cents per share at the option of the holder at any time until the maturity date, subject to adjustment in certain events.
Pursuant to the terms of the warrants, the company may abridge the exercise period of the warrants at any time after the date that is four months after the closing date and before the expiry of the warrants, if the volume weighted average closing price on the company’s shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange (or such other stock exchange on which the shares are traded if the company’s shares are no longer traded on the Canadian Securities Exchange) is for a period of 20 consecutive trading days greater than 60 cents by providing written notice to the warrantholders within 30 days of a trigger event. The warrants will, unless exercised, expire on the 30th day after the company provides such written notice to the warrantholders.
The company may pay finders’ fees in connection with the placement. Proceeds of the placement will be used to help facilitate expenditures required for the five contracts awarded to IWS previously announced on May 10, 2017, as well as Prospect Silicon Valley, which focuses on commercialization of the company’s heat exchange technologies in the central California, and for general working capital. All securities distributed pursuant to the placement will be subject to a statutory hold period of four months and a day from the date of issuance. The placement will not be offered in the United States. Closing of the placement is subject to receipt of all necessary regulatory approvals.
About International Wastewater Systems Inc.
International Wastewater is a world leader in thermal heat recovery. Its systems recycle thermal energy from waste water, generating the most energy-efficient and economical systems for heating, cooling and hot water for commercial, residential and industrial buildings.
We seek Safe Harbor.
© 2017 Canjex Publishing Ltd. All rights reserved.
- Published in Energy, Green Technology, International Wastewater Systems, News Home, Technology
The Cost of Climate Change
The Cost of Climate Change
Annual costs for natural disasters in Canada pegged at almost $5 billion
Canada has just experienced extensive flooding in British Columbia, Ontario and Quebec. The complete cost of the disasters won’t be added up for some time; but you can bet that this past spring is going to be one of the most expensive on record. In Canada and throughout the world, we are being battered by increasingly numerous weather events, both extreme and not-so-extreme. The climate is changing.
Trying to get a handle on just exactly how much we are paying for climate change is difficult. The Office of the Parliamentary Budget Officer has tried. In its Estimate of the Average Annual Cost for Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangements due to Weather Events, released on February 25, 2016, it comes to $4.92 billion. This is the total annual cost from hurricanes convective storms, winter storms and flooding. But this, of course, does not take into account the lost productivity resulting from weather events.
The May 9, 2017 edition of Canadian Underwriter noted that in the United States, the bill for severe flooding in April would reach the multi-billion dollar range. Severe weather in America continued to be the largest factor in global insurance losses for 2017. While extreme weather or – as they like to say, weather events – continue to get worse, we in North America have comparatively little to worry about. Consider the plight of those low-lying Pacific Ocean nations that face the prospect of disappearing; if the ice in the Arctic and Antarctic continues to melt, and the oceans continue to rise.
It has been demonstrably and scientifically proven that climate change – the gradual warming of the earth’s surface – is to a very large degree driven by the fossil fuels used to heat our homes and drive our industry and vehicles. The very sad fact behind the spectre of increasing temperatures and increased hurricanes, is that we have the technology to prevent further damage.
One rewarding characteristic of humans is that we seldom throw in the towel, and so ideas that may have seemed farfetched or even ridiculous a generation ago, sometimes have their place in the sun. The green roofs of Toronto are a good example of this. In May 2009 Toronto City Council passed a bylaw that requires that new residential, office and industrial buildings have a green roof. While the idea of building roof-top gardens is as old as the hills (think of the hanging gardens of Babylon), doing so for ecological reasons is a relatively new concept.
The simple fact is that by going green you make money by saving money.
The Toronto bylaw applies to buildings that contain 6,000 square meters of floor space or more. The percentage of the roof to be green ranges from 20{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce} for buildings with a floor space of 6,000 square meters, to 60{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce} for buildings with over 20,000 square meters of floor space. Residential buildings shorter than six storeys or 20 meters in height are exempt. Toronto based its green roof policy on studies conducted by professors at Ryerson University, that showed potential annual cost savings of $37.1 million dollars. The largest cost-saving category was commercial building energy. The category showed a potential cost reduction of $21.56 million annually. The comfort benefit is hard to calculate, because how do you quantify mitigating the heat sink caused by our predilection for creating concrete canyons? As you might imagine, green roofs have also been cited as a partial solution for some of the flooding that has recently occurred. This is because of the green roofs’ ability to absorb rain and reduce water runoff. Oddly enough, building green roofs can also prolong their lifespan.
If we are to avoid the rapidly approaching climate Armageddon, it is vital that climate change deniers and vapid naysayers learn the real truth about green energy and efficiency. Simply put, energy efficiency is going to be one of the leading industries of the future because it makes you money by saving you money. As the Toronto study shows, green roofs save you money by reducing heating and cooling costs. Tesla, the electric car company, is now worth more than Ford. In an April 3, 2017 story CNN Money stated that Tesla was worth US$48 billion while Ford was valued at $45 billion.
Another energy-efficient way to go about saving the environment while saving money can be found in the ingenious technology of Burnaby-based International Wastewater Systems (“IWS”). IWS has developed a way to recover the heat usually lost in wastewater. Hot water from showers, baths, dishwashers and laundry goes down the drain. But IWS builds, installs and monitors closed systems that are used to heat the hot water supply in buildings. On May 10, 2017 the company announced that it had won funding and a contract to install five systems in Scotland through its wholly owned UK subsidiary SHARC Energy Systems. The contract is worth 9.8 million pounds. The five sites are the first of 750 locations targeted for conversion in Scotland.
In some ways the system is as simple as your own furnace. In the typical household furnace, natural gas or fuel oil is used to power a heat exchanger. The heat exchanger, in turn, warms the water in a radiator system, or the air in a forced air system. The genius in the IWS system was to develop a filtering system fine enough to prevent waste from clogging the heat exchanger. The system is completely sealed to ensure that there is no risk of water contamination, and continuously monitored to prevent any problems.
The return on investment (“ROI”) varies. A hospital in Boston, for example, that used electric boilers to heat its water had an IWS system installed. It cost $800,000, but the new system will save the hospital approximately $2 million per year and pay for itself within six months. IWS heat recovery systems can be installed in institutional, multi-residential, and industrial buildings. As described in a September 2016 interview with James West of the Midas Letter in the Financial Post, the payback period for residential buildings with 200 or so units is usually two to three years. If you are now telling yourselves this seems too good to be true, the real kicker is that the recovery systems have an anticipated lifespan of 40 years.
By Noel Meyer
- Published in Blog, Energy, Green Technology, International Wastewater Systems, Technology
IWS Announces Management Change
IWS Announces Management Change
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwired – May 8, 2017) – International Wastewater Systems Inc. (“IWS” or the “Company”) (CSE:IWS)(CSE:IWS.CN)(CNSX:IWS)(FRANKFURT:IWI)(OTC PINK:INTWF) announces that Yaron Conforti will be leaving his role as the Company’s Chief Financial Officer and a member of its Board of Directors, to pursue new opportunities.
Mr. Conforti will remain a consultant to IWS to assist with the transition to the newly appointed CFO, Mr. David Alexander, CA, CPA. Mr. Alexander has extensive experience as a CFO and his past achievements include CFO of Arakis Energy Corporation (subsequently sold to Talisman Energy TSX:TLM), and Nortran Pharmaceuticals, Inc., (later Cardiome Pharma NASDAQ:CRME).
Lynn Mueller, Chairman and CEO of IWS commented: “Yaron Conforti provided valuable leadership as our CFO and a member of our Board of Directors since 2015. I would like to thank him for his contributions and wish him every success in the future. We welcome David Alexander, an experienced CFO who further strengthens our management team during a period of significant growth for IWS.”
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Lynn Mueller, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
About International Wastewater Systems Inc.
International Wastewater Systems Inc. is a world leader in thermal heat recovery. IWS systems recycle thermal energy from wastewater, generating the most energy efficient and economical systems for heating, cooling & hot water for commercial, residential and industrial buildings. IWS is publicly traded in Canada (CSE:IWS)(CSE:IWS.CN)(CNSX:IWS), the United States (OTC PINK:INTWF) and Germany (FRANKFURT:IWI).
CONTACT INFORMATION
-
International Wastewater Systems Inc.
Lynn Mueller
CEO
(604) 475-7710
- Published in Bio technology, Energy, Green Technology, International Wastewater Systems, News Home, Technology
IWS Announces DC Water Installation
IWS Announces DC Water Installation
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA–(Marketwired – May 2, 2017) – International Wastewater Systems Inc. (“IWS” or the “Company”) (CSE:IWS)(CSE:IWS.CN)(FRANKFURT:IWI)(OTC PINK:INTWF) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded a US$330,000 (CAN$478,000) contract to supply its innovative SHARC thermal energy exchange system to the new headquarters of the District of Columbia Water and Sewer Authority (“DC Water”) in Washington, DC.
The new $60 million headquarters (“DC Water HQ”) is being constructed on the waterfront of the Anacostia River in Southeast Washington, DC and will serve as the new public face for the agency. DC Water’s green initiatives will be showcased in a deeply innovative facility featuring a bold and distinctive design developed by SmithGroupJJR in collaboration with Skanska. The building is designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification from the U.S. Green Building Council and will also employ many advanced strategies that will surpass LEED Platinum certification.
The SHARC system will allow DC Water HQ to use its own wastewater as a source of thermal energy to condition the building. This project represents a historic HVAC first. The DC Water HQ building will be the first ever deployment of this technology used to both heat and cool a building in the USA.
With two-thirds of all the outflow from DC’s sewers flowing through the underground infrastructure on the site, the system will have a virtually uninterruptible supply of thermal energy. Utilizing this technology, the design team has calculated that the DC Water HQ will take its place as one of the lowest energy-consuming office buildings in the region.
“The idea of building a 150,000-square-foot headquarters building directly over a pumping station would normally be viewed as implausible,” said SmithGroupJJR’s Corporate Director of Engineering Don Posson. “But by doing so, DC Water will be able to leverage the station’s wastewater to provide enough power to heat and cool this large building. It’s a breakthrough solution and a perfect complement to DC Water’s objective of a greener, healthier District of Columbia.”
IWS will install the SHARC 440 model with a flow rate of 250 gallons per minute, providing the primary energy source for building heat, and the primary energy rejection source for building cooling. IWS’s SHARC technology is a major contributor to the project’s LEED® Platinum 96 credit threshold, delivering one of the lowest energy consumption rates per unit of floor area possible, while reducing greenhouse gas emissions by over 40{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce}, and water consumption by hundreds of thousands of gallons annually.
Lynn Mueller, CEO of IWS commented: “DC Water’s new state-of-the-art building is a world class design-build project. The integration of SHARC technology demonstrates the world-class caliber of IWS’s projects and partners, and represents the increased adoption of IWS systems in the United States.”
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Lynn Mueller, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
About International Wastewater Systems Inc.
International Wastewater Systems Inc. is a world leader in thermal heat recovery. IWS systems recycle thermal energy from wastewater, generating the most energy efficient and economical systems for heating, cooling & hot water for commercial, residential and industrial buildings. IWS is publicly traded in Canada (CSE:IWS)(CSE:IWS.CN), the United States (OTC PINK:INTWF) and Germany (FRANKFURT:IWI).
Forward-Looking Information
This release includes certain statements that may be deemed “forward-looking statements”. All statements in this release, other than statements of historical facts, that address events or developments that the Company expects to occur, are forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are statements that are not historical facts and are generally, but not always, identified by the words “expects”, “plans”, “anticipates”, “believes”, “intends”, “estimates”, “projects”, “potential” and similar expressions, or that events or conditions “will”, “would”, “may”, “could” or “should” occur. Although the Company believes the expectations expressed in such forward-looking statements are based on reasonable assumptions, such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results may differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause the actual results to differ materially from those in forward-looking statements include regulatory actions, market prices, exploitation and exploration successes, and continued availability of capital and financing, and general economic, market or business conditions. Investors are cautioned that any such statements are not guarantees of future performance and actual results or developments may differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are based on the beliefs, estimates and opinions of the Company’s management on the date the statements are made. Except as required by applicable securities laws, the Company undertakes no obligation to update these forward-looking statements in the event that management’s beliefs, estimates or opinions, or other factors, should change.
CONTACT INFORMATION
-
International Wastewater Systems Inc.
Yaron Conforti
CFO and Director
(416) 716 8181
yaron.conforti@iws-sharc.com
- Published in Energy, Green Technology, International Wastewater Systems, News Home, Technology
Biggest U.S. Companies Setting More Renewable-Energy Targets
Biggest U.S. Companies Setting More Renewable-Energy Targets
-
Corporations bought 2.5 gigawatts of clean energy last year
-
Fortune 500 companies saving $3.7 billion with clean power
Almost half of the biggest U.S. companies have established clean-energy targets for themselves, according to a report Tuesday from sustainable investors and environmental groups including the World Wildlife Fund.
It’s not just the biggest U.S. companies — 44 percent of the smallest 100 members of the Fortune 500 have also set goals, up from 25 percent in 2014, and 48 percent of the entire list.
Many are finding that renewable energy isn’t just cleaner, it’s also often cheaper. About 190 Fortune 500 companies collectively reported about $3.7 billion in annual savings, according to Power Forward 3.0, a report by WWF, Ceres, Calvert Research & Management and CDP.
“We’re not talking about anecdotal information anymore,” Marty Spitzer, a WWF senior director of climate and renewable energy in Washington, said in an interview. “We’re talking about large, large savings.”
Potential savings and sustainability goals prompted corporations to buy almost 3.7 gigawatts of power generated by clean-energy projects in 2015, and another 2.5 gigawatts last year, almost all from wind and solar, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance.
But it’s no longer just tech companies. About 63 percent of Fortune 100 companies have clean-energy targets, according to the report. Such targets include commitments to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and increase energy efficiency and renewable energy.
The 190 Fortune 500 companies reported emission reductions equivalent to mothballing 45 coal-fired power plants for a year, according to the report. It also found that 23 of Fortune 500 companies have 100 percent renewable-energy targets.
By Brian Eckhouse
- Published in Bio technology, Blog, Energy, Green Technology, International Wastewater Systems, News Home, Technology
International Wastewater installs SHARC system at False Creek
International Wastewater installs SHARC system at False Creek
Momentum Public Relations
Press Release: April 12, 2017
International Wastewater Systems Inc (C:IWS)
Shares Issued 95,623,894
Last Close 4/11/2017 $0.22
Wednesday April 12 2017 – News Release
Mr. Lynn Mueller reports
IWS COMPLETES METRO VANCOUVER INSTALLATION
International Wastewater Systems Inc. has completed the installation of a SHARC thermal energy exchange system at the False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility in Vancouver.
The False Creek SHARC was announced in August, 2016, following the successful collaboration between International Wastewater and Metro Vancouver. Metro Vancouver is a partnership of 21 municipalities, one electoral area and one treaty first nation that collaboratively plans for and delivers regional-scale services across the Lower Mainland of British Columbia.
The False Creek Neighbourhood Energy Utility is a large-scale district heating network that began operations in 2010 and currently provides space heating and hot water for 4.3 million square feet (395,000 square metres) of residential, commercial and institutional space.
International Wastewater installed its newest and largest capacity system at False Creek, the model 880. The SHARC 880 offers the highest capacity of any SHARC system to date, with flow rates of up to 1,500 gallons per minute, a capacity increase of three times when compared with existing SHARC models. The False Creek SHARC installation will include two SHARC 880 systems working in tandem and will initially operate over 12-month period to demonstrate the economic and energy efficiencies of the system.
This is the second time that a SHARC system has been integrated into a district heating network following International Wastewater’s installation at Borders College (Scotland) in 2015. Large-scale energy networks are a growing trend as municipalities look to increase energy efficiency and reliability, decarbonize energy grids and reduce life-cycle costs.
Lynn Mueller, chief executive officer of International Wastewater, commented: “We are pleased to be working with Metro Vancouver on their district heating network. This SHARC installation showcases the capability of [International Wastewater] technology when applied to large-scale, low-carbon thermal networks.”
About International Wastewater Systems Inc.
International Wastewater Systems is a world leader in thermal heat recovery. International Wastewater’s systems recycle thermal energy from wastewater, generating the most energy-efficient and economical systems for heating, cooling and hot water for commercial, residential and industrial buildings.
© 2017 Canjex Publishing Ltd.
From Stockwatch News
- Published in Energy, Green Technology, International Wastewater Systems, Life Sciences, News Home, Technology
Waste to Energy Market Will Climb Throughout the Year $36.0 Billion Value by 2020
Waste to Energy Market Will Climb Throughout the Year $36 Billion Value by 2020
Waste to Energy (Thermal and Biological Technology) Market: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends and Forecast, 2014 – 2020
This press release was orginally distributed by SBWire
Deerfield Beach, FL — (SBWIRE) — 03/06/2017 — Zion Market Research has published a new report titled “Waste to Energy (Thermal and Biological Technology) Market: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis and Forecast, 2014 – 2020” According to the report, the global waste to energy market was valued at approximately USD 24.0 billion in 2014 and is expected to reach approximately USD 36.0 billion by 2020, growing at a CAGR of around over 7.5{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce} between 2015 and 2020.
Request Sample Report: bit.ly/2dXuNuR
Waste to energy (WtE) is a waste treatment process that generates energy in the form of electricity, heat or fuels from both organic and inorganic wastes. Advanced waste to energy technologies can be used to produce biogas, syngas, and liquid biofuels. These fuels can then be converted into electricity. Waste feedstock includes agricultural waste, municipal solid waste and industrial waste. Energy can be recovered from waste by various technologies such as biological and thermal technology. Biological and thermal technologies used to convert waste matter into different forms of fuel that can be used to supply energy.
Based on technology, the global waste to energy market has been segmented into thermal and biological. Thermal technology was the dominant segment in 2014 due to widely used form of energy generation through waste matters. Biological technologies are used for anaerobic digestion of solid waste to produce energy which is biodegradable content and hence are mostly preferred by farmers. This segment is anticipated to witness fastest growth over the forecast period in emerging economies such as Japan and China.
Browse the full “Waste to Energy (Thermal and Biological Technology) Market: Global Industry Perspective, Comprehensive Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Segment, Trends and Forecast, 2014 – 2020” report at www.marketresearchstore.com/report/waste-to-energy-market…
Europe dominated the global waste to energy market with over 45.0{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce} share in total revenue generated in 2014. Europe closely followed by Asia Pacific. However, with increased advance technology penetration in Japan and China, Asia Pacific is expected to witness robust growth during 2015 to 2020. Latin America and Middle East & Africa are also expected to experience significant growth of waste to energy market in the years to come.
Some of the key players in Waste to energy market Foster Wheeler A.G., C&G Environmental Protection Holdings Ltd., Veolia Environment, Suez Environment S.A., KEPPEL SEGHERS, Babcock & Wilcox Co., Xcel Energy, Covanta Energy Corporation, Constructions industrielles de la Mediterranee (CNIM), China Everbright, International Limited and Waste Management Inc.
Do Inquiry before buying: bit.ly/2epAbX6
This report segments the global waste to energy market as follows:
Global Waste to Energy Market: Technology Segment Analysis
Thermal
Biological
Global Waste to Energy Market: Regional Segment Analysis
North America
U.S.
Europe
UK
France
Germany
Asia Pacific
China
Japan
India
Latin America
Brazil
Middle East and Africa
About Zion Research
Zion Research is a market intelligence company providing global business information reports and services. Our exclusive blend of quantitative forecasting and trends analysis provides forward-looking insight for thousands of decision makers. Zion Research experienced team of Analysts, Researchers, and Consultants uses proprietary data sources and various tools and techniques to gather, and analyze information. Our business offerings represent the latest and the most reliable information indispensable for businesses to sustain a competitive edge.
Each Zion Research syndicated research report covers a different sector — such as pharmaceuticals, chemical, energy, food and beverages, semiconductors, med-devices, consumer goods and technology. These reports provide in-depth analysis and deep segmentation to possible micro levels. With wider scope and stratified research methodology, our syndicated reports strive to serve the overall research requirement of clients.
Contact US:
Joel John
3422 SW 15 Street,Suit #8138
Deerfield Beach,Florida 33442
United States
Toll Free: +1-855-465-4651 (USA-CANADA)
Tel: +1-386-310-3803
Email: sales@marketresearchstore.com
Website: http://www.marketresearchstore.com
For more information on this press release visit: http://www.sbwire.com/press-releases/waste-to-energy-market-360-billion-value-will-climb-throughout-the-year-by-2020-778092.htm
Media Relations Contact
Joel John
Corporate Sales Specialist
Market Research Store
Telephone: 386-310-3803
Email: Click to Email Joel John
Web: http://www.marketresearchstore.com/report/waste-to-energy-market-z47278
Read more: http://www.digitaljournal.com/pr/3259321#ixzz4bM3jLpuk
- Published in Blog, Energy, Green Technology, International Wastewater Systems, News Home, Technology
IWS Collaborating with Cannabis Cultivation Facility
IWS Collaborating with Cannabis Cultivation Facility
– Momentum Public Relations –
Press Release: March 2, 2017
International Wastewater Systems Inc. (“IWS” or the “Company”) (CSE:IWS)(FRANKFURT:IWI) (OTC PINK:INTWF) is pleased to announce that it is currently collaborating with a licensed marijuana cultivator operating an industrial growing facility in the United States (“Cannabis Cultivation Facility”).
The collaboration enables IWS and the Cannabis Cultivation Facility to exchange data and evaluate the application of IWS’s thermal energy exchange technology in an industrial marijuana growing facility.
IWS has already demonstrated the environmental and economic benefits of its technology in a Canadian greenhouse installation at the Water Resource Centre in Sechelt, British Columbia (“Sechelt Greenhouse”). IWS installed a SHARC thermal energy exchange system at the Sechelt Greenhouse, which is connected to a primary building loop and used to reduce space heating, cooling & water heating costs at the greenhouse (see details: https://goo.gl/Mp0Z7u).
A study by scientist Evan Mills, with the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, revealed that legalized indoor marijuana-growing operations account for 1{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce} of total electricity use in the US, at a cost of $6bn per year. Annually, such consumption produces 15m tons of greenhouse gas emissions (CO2), equal to that of three million average cars.
IWS is working with the Cannabis Cultivation Facility to jointly evaluate the energy efficiency of IWS’s thermal exchange technology when integrated with the growing facility’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) infrastructure. IWS’s technology enables heating (heat transfer) and cooling (heat dissipation) applications, both a significant component of overall energy costs for the Cannabis Cultivation Facility.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD
Lynn Mueller, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer
About International Wastewater Systems Inc.
International Wastewater Systems Inc. is a world leader in thermal heat recovery. IWS systems recycle thermal energy from wastewater, generating the most energy efficient and economical systems for heating, cooling & hot water for commercial, residential and industrial buildings. IWS is publicly traded in Canada (CSE:IWS), the United States (OTC PINK:INTWF) and Germany (FRANKFURT:IWI).
- Published in International Wastewater Systems, News Home
Stakeholder Alignment – A Predictor of Success in Green Technologies
Stakeholder Alignment – A Predictor of Success in Green Technologies
Pundits and prognosticators should take notice. The evidence points to an emerging reality that is leading the so-called green technology revolution. Futurists and visionaries may be looking for some incredible and revolutionary breakthrough, but a variety of compelling new technologies are already being commercialized.
Green energy technologies are those that either harness power from renewable, sustainable sources or aim to reduce adverse human impact on the environment. For new sources of energy to be widely implemented, investors, technologists, and policymakers must understand their potential impact and the path to market that will ensure their commercial viability. Many new technologies can be successful if they are deployed according to sound business principles.
While some allegedly green technologies are struggling to gain traction with businesses and consumers, others are quietly changing the world and addressing the need for responsible and functional solutions to complex environmental challenges.
So, where are these technologies, who is behind them and why are they quietly seizing momentum in the marketplace? The answers are remarkably simple. Like most advances over the course of history, they are conceptually simple, relatively inexpensive and only modestly disruptive.
The automobile is an example of change that occurred at the onset of the 20th century. It harnessed an older technology of propulsion but applied it in a different format. With the advent of mass production, overall costs per unit were reduced and the technology became widely affordable. Additionally, it did not usher in an entirely new mode of transport. It only eliminated the need for an animal to provide propulsion and made travel a modest amount more rapid and marginally more reliable.
As we head towards the conclusion of the first 20 years of the 21st century, the keen observer will be able to identify technologies that have moved from ideas to commercial reality and are quickly going mainstream. Several may be below the radar at the moment, but they won’t stay there for long.
Green technologies are not immune from the ordinary laws that govern business success. The idea that some “better mouse trap” will sell itself is as false as it is comedic. The business success comes from being well capitalized, having a superior value proposition and ensuring that business leadership is equipped and motivated to execute against objectives in a disciplined and systematic manner. If the product or service is ground breaking, wonderful. Who doesn’t love something that is groundbreaking? But does it deliver what I want?
This raises the important principle of stakeholder alignment. If a new technology can align the interests of several disparate interested parties in an industry sector, it has a particularly good chance for success. Stakeholder alignment creates unstoppable momentum for green technologies. In most instances, being more eco-friendly, while desirable, isn’t the primary motivator of change. However, when a number of constituencies all experience a simultaneous benefit that is both measurable and meaningful, change proceeds and the adoption of the new technology is perceived as essential rather than optional.
An example of stakeholder alignment is a fast-growing Hawaiian enterprise called Elevate Structure. It was launched in 2012 by a team of residential engineers in with a dream to develop profitable spaces for living by building eco-friendly structures. The portable spaces are elevated above ground and, therefore, utilize 6-20 times more usable space while minimizing the overall footprint on the ground. This uses less than desirable land, gives consumers the flexibility to expand or relocate their green homes and provides municipalities with new incremental tax revenues without adding infrastructure.
Another good example of stakeholder alignment is International Wastewater Systems of Vancouver, Canada, http://www.sewageheatrecovery.com. Employing a simple idea and proprietary technology, IWS has pioneered the concept of turning the energy contained in warm waste water into heat that is processed, reclaimed and reused. With an ingenious idea and a scalable solution, the company is poised for success internationally as its solutions are increasingly in demand. The success of the endeavour isn’t exclusively due to the green technology. It is because the technology has been able to address diverse needs among a broad group that includes energy providers, builders and building owners. The company’s solutions, green technology and ease of implementation presents and unassailable value proposition to anyone who wants to reduce the heating and cooling costs of buildings. The eco-story is largely secondary. The “green argument” involves saving large amounts of money!
Investors that are considering taking a position in new green technologies are advised to look beyond the excitement of a product or process. A company’s financial state is always a consideration. What have they sold and what projects are well underway? As important as these fundamentals are, it is also critical to examine the “alignment factor” of the product or service to properly evaluate the scope of its potential.
- Published in Blog, Energy, Green Technology, International Wastewater Systems
From Grey Water to Green Energy
From Grey Water to Green Energy
On average, 10,000 people in the developed world will generate 1,000,000 gallons of warm waste water per day. That is a lot of warm water. It is typically sent to water treatment plants or discharged into lakes, rivers and oceans. Does this seem reasonable? Or does it sound like an opportunity for improvement?
International Wastewater Systems Ltd. (CNSX:IWS) CEO Lynn Mueller likes to suggest jokingly that people are hesitant to shake his hand when they learn that he is in the sewage business. Nonetheless, when they discover that he can help them save money by recovering energy from waste water that is headed down the drain and transform it into green energy they often change their minds and shake hands with enthusiasm.
The underlying principle is so simple that anyone can grasp it. It takes a lot less energy to heat warm water than it does to heat cold water. When waste water from sinks, showers, toilets or laundry leaves a building, it is usually slightly below the ambient room temperature. In a large production plant, the temperature of the water can be even higher. Ultimately, if the energy from effluent can be captured and reused, then the cost of supplying energy to homes, hospitals, sports complexes, university campuses or large scale plants can be significantly reduced.
A great deal of the green energy movement has focused on reducing consumption. This a noble endeavour that will likely continue. Reduced usage and more efficient usage of energy are always desirable, but conservation alone isn’t a complete answer because, as an economy grows, there will continue to be a need for additional quantities of energy.
That’s why most of the emphasis in the search for a different approach to energy has been directed towards finding clean, alternate sources of energy generation. Up to this point in time, the search for better and greener energy sources has been fraught with problems. Either the cost was prohibitive or the technology suboptimal. In some cases, alternative energy generation like windmills and solar power generation have encountered ancillary environmental issues. Sure, they may not pollute in the classic sense, but not many people want large wind-farms or thousands of solar panels in their backyards.
Mr. Mueller, the founder of IWS, took an entirely different approach to the problem. In essence, assessed the typical assumptions related to the costs and benefits of “greener” energy by framing the challenge in a different way and applying an atypical thought process. Rather than trying to find a unique solution at the input phase, why not consider how to make use of existing heat that might be available, but was being overlooked? An evaluation of the entire cycle of energy usage led directly to considering energy recapture alternatives for the warm water in most sewage discharge. Conventional wisdom was that it would be too costly and too messy to process effluent in an efficient way.
Lynn Mueller’s ingenious solution was to use existing technology, coupled with a proprietary filtration process, to separate waste from grey water and extract the heat from it so that the energy could be recycled. The company, International Wastewater Systems http://www.sewageheatrecovery.com, has successfully developed, commercialized and installed the technology. The products called “Sharc” and “Piranha” are being recognized all over the world.
The company has become a success rather rapidly. Mr. Mueller commented; “We quickly went from being a local, small company to a worldwide operation. We’ve seen markets around the world demanding the product”. Mueller has also disclosed that the firm has over $80 million worth of projects in the works.
Recently, the company was recognized with the AHR Expo 2016 award for innovation. Even CNN deemed the company newsworthy and published coverage of IWS on the network’s financial channel at CNNMoney.com on May 24.
The technology has been proven to be cost-effective and easy to install and maintain. The upfront investment varies depending on the size of the installation. Frequently, grants are available in local jurisdictions to cover capital costs. For example, the $1.1 million system installed at Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority in New Jersey benefited from a clean energy grant that covered more than 90{92d3d6fd85a76c012ea375328005e518e768e12ace6b1722b71965c2a02ea7ce} of the cost.
More importantly, the return on investment is easy to calculate. Andy Kricun, the executive director of the Camden County Municipal Utilities Authority, said they’ll recoup their investment in two years. The IWS Sharc technology has a lifespan of approximately 40 years, which means the savings to this utility could ultimately be as much as $2 million.
- Published in Blog, Energy, Green Technology, International Wastewater Systems