Water tech firm partners NUS in first Asian tie-up

$150m centre will provide clean water know-how to countries like China, India
Liaw Wy-Cin, Straits Times 20 Mar 09;

WATER technologies developer GE Water is partnering its first university in Asia in an effort to develop safe drinking systems for many parts of the region.

Its scientists and engineers will set up shop at the National University of Singapore (NUS) by the middle of the year.

They will be working at the new NUS-GE Singapore Water Technology Centre, a $150 million collaboration between the university and the corporation.

The centre is the product of an agreement between the two sides in 2006 to collaborate. There are already ongoing projects between the two sides on turning seawater into safe drinking water.

The centre, expected to open in May, will focus on technology to provide clean water to countries such as China and India and regions like the Middle East.

What the partnership means for NUS researchers is that they will have easier access to industry specialists who can guide them better on the market viability of their research ideas, said Professor Michael Saunders, director of the NUS Environmental Research Institute.

Prof Saunders added: 'Now, we can talk to GE, ask them 'What do you think, guys?' and they can say 'We don't know, let's try it'.'

This is GE Water's first collaboration with a university in the Asia-Pacific. Its general manager for the Asia-Pacific region, Mr Kevin Cassidy, said that this new environment gave the company access to 'talented researchers from a world-class institution committed to working with industry'.

'It's also a talent pipeline for us. We can recruit NUS graduates,' he said.

The centre will occupy one of the buildings at the engineering faculty and space in the Temasek Engineering Building.

At this centre, GE Water will be developing and testing technology in areas such as desalination, water reuse, the generation of ultra-pure water for the semiconductor industry and chemical analysis of water and waste water.

Mr Cassidy said the company had looked globally before deciding to open an R&D centre in Singapore: 'We recognise the capabilities and strategic vision in Singapore from a water perspective.'

Water technology is one of the emerging areas that Singapore has recently earmarked as a new area of economic growth.

Its technologies in turning sea water and used water into drinking water have made it stand out in the industry, said Mr Cassidy.

Clean drinking water is making its way up the agenda of many countries now facing ballooning urban populations.

The United Nations projects that by 2030, 4.9 billion people, or 60 per cent of the world's population, will be living in cities, compared with 3.3 billion people or half the world's population doing so now.

About 1.1 billion people lack access to safe drinking water, and this is expected to rise to 2.8 billion by 2025.

GE Water & NUS to set up Water Technology Centre
Channel NewsAsia 19 Mar 09;

SINGAPORE: A S$150million (US$100 million) research centre will be set up in Singapore by the middle of this year to look at water science and technology.

It will develop new solutions for low-energy seawater desalination, water reclamation and water reuse.

GE Water, a business unit of GE Energy, and the National University of Singapore (NUS) signed an agreement Thursday to establish the NUS-GE Singapore Water Technology Centre on the campus of NUS.

They said this will help expedite fundamental research and industry innovation in water treatment.

It will also strengthen collaboration with government and industry in Singapore and abroad.

The centre joins a network of GE's technology centres located throughout the world to solve pertinent challenges facing water scarce areas by increasing the recycling and recovery of water.

- CNA/yb