The SWEET Water Technology Center develops environmentally more sustainable and energy-efficient solutions for the process industry. The joint project between the water chemistry company Kemira and VTT develops technologies for new chemistries related to water recycling, biomass utilization and water use management. The four-year SWEET program ends in 2013. However, some of the projects will only be completed next year.
In addition to Kemira and VTT, SWEET's strategic partners, worth approximately 120 million euros, include Tekes, Outotec and Metso, as well as the Singapore Water Authority and Nanyang Technological University.
Current SWEET projects, such as new oil and gas chemistries, shale gas, bioethanol and biomass, are still ongoing at Kemira's R&D centers in Espoo, Atlanta, Shanghai and Sao Paulo.
Kemira has a Chief Technology Officer Heidi Fagerholmin In addition, dozens of partners are involved in projects related to water use management.
Kemira's sales of new products and applications exceeded EUR 100 million in 2012, part of which came from SWEET projects.
As part of normal operations
“SWEET was built to support Kemira’s strategic development. Now it is becoming part of our normal operations. In our product development, we strive to meet our customers’ process efficiency requirements and develop our own solutions to improve raw material efficiency. We will continue on a project-by-project basis with our partners in different industries. There will hardly be a second SWEET.”
The Nordic countries have plenty of fresh water, but it is less abundant in the densely populated areas of the south. There, wastewater and its reuse chemistry often have to be resorted to by developing methods for removing micro-pollutants and nutrients.
In Finland, alongside water sufficiency, there is concern about cost-efficiency and competitiveness.
The paper and pulp industry has long utilized water recycling, because the less clean raw water is used, the less wastewater that needs to be treated is generated.
“And the more raw water, for example, is taken into the process, the more drying is needed. It consumes energy. Water and energy cannot really be separated in the process industry.”
Text: Jaakko Liikanen
