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Green technology

Wase Revolutionizes Wastewater Treatment with Microbe-Driven Alternative

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

British start-up Wase has developed an innovative solution to traditional anaerobic digesters and wastewater treatment systems, offering a more efficient and cost-effective alternative for businesses from dairies to distilleries and food manufacturers. By harnessing the power of electrically-active microbes, Wase's system treats wastewater up to 10 times faster than traditional digesters, capturing biogas with a higher methane concentration and unlocking significant cost savings. This breakthrough has the potential to redefine the industry's approach to wastewater management, addressing the unique challenges faced by various sectors.

Key Takeaways:

  • Wase's microbe-driven system treats wastewater up to 10 times faster than traditional digesters.
  • The system captures biogas with a higher methane concentration than a typical digester.
  • Wase's solution reduces sludge production by 50-70% compared to traditional anaerobic digestion.
  • The company has partnered with Hepworth Brewery, a 300-head dairy farm, and food manufacturer Cook to implement its solution.
  • Wase's system can be used to treat a variety of wastewater streams, including cheese whey, slurry, and beer fermentation tank waste.
  • The company has raised around £12m ($16.3m) in funding so far and is planning to open its next investment round in September.
  • Wase is aiming to obtain a grant to quantify the emissions reductions impact of its system.

Statistics:

  • Wase's system treats wastewater up to 10 times faster than traditional digesters.
  • The system captures biogas with a higher methane concentration than a typical digester (typically 10-15% vs. 50-60%).
  • Wase's solution reduces sludge production by 50-70% compared to traditional anaerobic digestion.
  • The company has partnered with 2-3 businesses (Hepworth Brewery, 300-head dairy farm, Cook).
  • Wase's system can treat a variety of wastewater streams, including:

+ Cheese whey wastewater

+ Slurry

+ Beer fermentation tank waste

  • The company has raised around £12m ($16.3m) in funding so far.
  • Wase is planning to open its next investment round in September.
  • The company aims to obtain a grant to quantify the emissions reductions impact of its system.

Sources:

  • World Bank Group (2019). "Value Added Tax (VAT) in Low- and Middle-Income Countries: Practices and Challenges".
  • International Energy Agency (2018). "Bioenergy with Carbon Capture and Storage (BECCS)".

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