Speaker Insights

Ahead of the WEX Global Bioeconomy Summit, we asked our speakers to share their perspectives on the opportunities, challenges and innovations shaping the global bioeconomy.

1. Why is now such an important moment for the water and bioeconomy sectors?

Not just in the UK, but in conversations I have with peers around the globe it is evident that the water sector is undergoing a fundamental shifts, namely;

• Wastewater treatment was framed primarily as a compliance and environmental protection challenge, with a focus on treating waste to safely discharge it back into the environment. Increasingly is it is recognised that linear model is no longer viable, but because of a multitude of regional, global and behavioural issues different regions are struggling with that transition, in different ways.
• We are navigating a confluence of macro externalities, at a scale and velocity we’ve not previously experienced; climate pressures, tightening environmental regulations, rising energy costs, and Net Zero commitments. Whilst seeing global supply chains for critical resources like phosphorus and nitrogen based synthetic fertilisers face severe volatility and carbon intensity.
• Finally the role of technology and data. We are at a moment were we have a myriad of technology choices, and ever increasing amounts of data, to give us solutions and insight into the challenges of opportunities we face

It is the convergence of all of these things that gives rise to the potential for us to finally take a system wide perspective, at scale and shift thinking so that organic streams aren’t liabilities, but resources/ products. Whilst ensuring the sector can simultaneously protect environmental quality, decarbonise operations, and fuel the wider circular economy.

2. What is the biggest opportunity in wastewater and resource recovery?

At UKWIR, a major focus has been developing data driven prioritisation tools, to evaluate technologies based on market demand, lifecycle carbon, and true economic feasibility. The opportunity isn’t just technology itself it’s building viable end use markets that turn recovered materials into viable commercial products.

Whilst ensuring the beneficial and critical reuse of bioresources to agriculture can continue. It is important to develop research, insight and markets unlock the recovery of higher purity, market ready chemical and material building blocks, in support of greater system wide resilience, as our world becomes more complex, populated and constrained.

3. Who are you hoping to connect with at the WEX Global Bioeconomy Summit?

As I’ve hopefully outlined the opportunities and challenges of scaling a circular bioeconomy aren’t going to be solved inside a single utility, sector, or country, which is why I’m looking forward to the WEX Summit, as it seeks to bring diversity, innovation and cross sector leadership together.

Personally I’m looking forward to spending time with;

• Cross-Sector Industrial & Commercial Partners: Previous leadership roles have taught me the power of the ecosystem, and broad collaboration. The water industry needs to connect directly with leaders in agriculture, energy, materials, and chemicals.
• Innovative Technology Developers & Start-ups: Events like the WEX-BIO Innovation Forum are vital for engaging frontier innovators who are developing novel separation, extraction, and conversion technologies. UKWIR plays a vital role in shaping applied research and industry ready solutions for questions that few have yet asked.
• International Utility Executives & Regulators: Exchanging real world evidence and experience with global peer utilities and policymakers helps us shape consistent regulatory frameworks, align research agendas to avoid duplicate, maximise human capital and make progress together faster.