Sphere No.43 (Oct 2017)

SPHERE #43 2017 14 Amikam Cohen, CEO of Hutchison Water, adds, “We are looking forward to implementing the technologies and the project management capabilities, which have been developed in Israel, in other parts of the world.” OASIS OF THE FUTURE Water is important enough for the company to have multiple interests at play in the sector. Based in Israel, Hutchison Kinrot serves as the family’s technology arm and as an incubator focusing mainly on the commercialisation of water technology and “cleantech”. Harking back to the ancient tradition of trade and innovation, the firm connects entrepreneurs, investors and key industry players around the world. It has become a prominent leader in the region, providing solutions for water utilities, industrial companies and municipalities, helping them to manage their business operations. One notable start-up funded by Hutchison Kinrot is Aquarius Spectrum which provides cloud solutions (of the Internet cloud variety, not vapour laden) to provide leak detection. According to Dr Eldar, water wasted as a result of leakage from various sources can account for 40 per cent or even 50 per cent of water which flows through certain cities. Through cloud solutions and the application of advanced analytical algorithms, Aquarius Spectrum helps manage and monitor networks of pipes with sensitive and low-cost acoustic sensors which enable cities to identify leaks as small as one millimetre in diameter across their infrastructure. Aquarius Spectrum’s smart and effective monitoring system has already been deployed in more than 600 kilometres of pipe in Israel and has expanded to the United States and Europe. It was named as one of the four Israeli start-ups – and the only one in Israel focusing on water technology – on the 2016 Global Cleantech 100 Ones to Watch list. Another start-up, Hydrospin, offers smart devices to support smart water networks in the modern water distribution system. These devices, mini-generators that convert water-generated kinetic energy into electric hydropower, are installed in city pipelines to generate electricity and to also enable real-time water quality measurement and network management. To date, the solution has already been widely deployed in Asia, Europe and the two Americas. The solutions may be modern, but the ancient tradition of connecting people through trade, often on the high seas, remains. That interaction leads to innovation that enables people to live better, safer, happier lives – a civilised proposition for the cradle of so many civilisations. << The Sorek desalination plant, located 15 kilometres south of Tel Aviv, became operational in October 2013 and houses one of the world’s largest and most advanced reverse osmosis seawater treatment facilities. With an annual capacity of 150 million cubic metres, the plant is able to deliver clean water to more than 1.5 million people, representing around 20 per cent of municipal water consumption. CLEAN AND GREEN The Sorek plant has set a number of benchmarks in terms of desalination technology, water cost and environmentally friendly standards. It has its own independent power plant which runs on natural gas. Excess energy is sold to the national grid – not vice versa. The plant is also equipped with devices, including an energy recovery system, that drive additional efficiency resulting in a smaller carbon footprint. “The project gives us great satisfaction in seeing that water technologies we implemented have established a sound foundation for regional cooperation. The water produced in Israel has not only released the country from dependence upon scarce and insufficient rainfall, but it also helps quench the thirst in neighbouring countries as well,” says Dr Dan Eldar, Executive Director of Hutchison Water. “Providing water to Jordan, for example, demonstrates that the technologies we are using not only produce water but also change the form of cooperation in the Middle East and enable regional partnership rather than conflict.” Sorek brings fresh water to Israel, the lifeblood of a desert nation. “The project gives us great satisfaction in seeing that water technologies we implemented have established a sound foundation for regional cooperation.” Dr Dan Eldar Executive Director Hutchison Water Holdings Limited A LEGACY OF CIVILISATION