[싱가포르] 성장하는 물시장 산업과 보조를 맞추다

싱가포르 인터내셔널 물주간의 일환으로 7월 13일 열릴 예정인 물산업 솔루션 포럼에 앞서 WWI(Water and Wastewater International)는 CH2M의 국제 물산업 그룹의 패널 피터 니콜(Peter Nicol)을 모셨다.

WWi: 컨설팅사로서 CH2M에게 산업용수 처리 시장은 얼마만큼 중요합니까?

피터 니콜(PN) : 민간 및 산업 시장 고객에게 적절한 물공급과 효율적인 처리시설을 제공하기 위해 경제적 해결책을 찾으면 찾을수록 산업용수 처리 시장은 CH2M사의 중요 성장 분야를 대표합니다.

산업용수 관련 고객들이 회사의 과제로서 환경법규를 지키고 유지하기 위해 보다 혁신적인 산업용수 처리 방법을 찾을수록 산업용수 처리 사업 확장은 우리 회사의 중요 성장 전략 요소입니다. 우리는 산업용수 처리 시장의 성장이 계속될 것이라고 믿으며, 이 분야에 발을 담금으로서 우리는 환경정화, 환경 복지와 안전, 더 나아가 산업 기반시설 엔지니어링과 디자인 서비스를 포함한 다른 서비스를 산업시장 고객에게 제공할 수 있습니다.

WWi: 산업용수 처리 시장 가치가 528억 달러에 이르렀습니다. 당신은 왜 이 분야에 더 큰 성장가능성이 있다고 생각하십니까?

PN: 늘어난 규제기관, 환경단체, 일반대중의 감시에 따라 많은 산업계·상업계 고객들이 환경 법규준수 문제에 보다 적극적인 자세로 임하고 있습니다. 이러한 자체진단에 따르면, 많은 회사들이 수명이 다하여 적절한 폐수처리가 되지 않는(또는 비용을 잡아먹는) 노후화된 인프라 시설들을 찾아내고 있습니다.

우리는 또한 몇몇 산업군에서 새로운 규제들이 시행되는 것을 보고 있습니다. 예를 들어 미국 석탄화력발전소에 비싼 폐수처리시설이 건설되도록 규제가 바뀐 것은 예전에는 처리하기에 너무 적은 양이여서 요구되지 않았던 것입니다. 이 외에도 추가적으로 다른 산업 군에서 새로운 처리시설 또는 인프라 시설을 업그레이드하며 새로운 허가를 낼 때 더욱 높은 수준의 폐수처리를 요구하는 것을 보고 있습니다.

WWi: 앞으로 물산업 기업들이 어떤 것에서 큰 기회를 잡을 것으로 보십니까? 또 그 중 왜 식·음료, 석유화학제품, 광업, 또는 전자제품 제조업입니까?

PN: 다양한 시장상황과 경제요인에 따라 앞서 말한 각각의 시장분야가 커나갈 잠재성을 가지고 있다고 우리는 믿습니다. 전체적으로 환경법규가 물기술 관련 회사들에게 기회를 만들어 주고 있으며, 이러한 환경 법규에 더욱 충실한 산업체들이 일반적으로 증가하는 것을 보고 있습니다. 조금 더 세부적인 사항으로, 세계인구는 증가하고 있으며, 사람들은 식량을 필요로 할 것이고, 이러한 조건 하에 식량생산량의 증가와 이에 필요한 물과 폐수의 증가를 목도할 것입니다. 석유화학제품은 최근 저유가와 천연가스 가격의 하락 덕분에 성장을 보았습니다. 그리고 결과적으로 많은 신설 공장 건설이 예정되어 있습니다. 하지만 이러한 시설들이 만들어질지 아닐지는 전적으로 석유화학제품의 국제 수요에 달려있습니다. 광업 분야는 항상 물수요를 요하지만, 원자재 가격이 회복하기 전까지 광업에서 변동사항은 없을 것입니다. 전자제품 제조는 수년간 CH2M사가 주도하고 있는 분야입니다. 이 과정 속에서 세계가 점점 하나로 연결됨으로서 우리는 더 많은 전자제품 관련 기기의 출현과 그에 따른 물과 폐수처리의 필요성을 인식하고 있습니다.

[원문보기]

KEEPING PACE WITH THE GROWING INDUSTRIAL WATER MARKET

Ahead of the Industrial Water Solutions Forum, to be held on July 13th as part of the Singapore International Water Week, Water and Wastewater International (WWi) caught up with panellist Peter Nicol, president of CH2M’s Global Water Business Group.

WWi: How important is the industrial water treatment market to CH2M as a consultancy?

Peter Nicol (PN): The industrial water treatment market represents one of CH2M’s key growth areas as we continue to help our commercial and industrial clients find economical solutions to provide adequate water supplies and effective treatment.

Expanding our industrial water treatment business is a key element of our growth strategy, as we continue to see our industrial water clients looking for more innovative ways to achieve environmental compliance and sustainability as part of their corporate mission. We believe that growth in the industrial water market will continue, and our involvement in this area allows us to provide industrial clients with other services, including environmental remediation, environmental health and safety, as well as industrial infrastructure engineering and design services.

WWi: Industrial water solutions, as a market, has been valued at $52.8 billion ? why do you think there has been such growth in this area?

PN: Many industrial and commercial clients are taking a more aggressive approach to environmental compliance issue because of increased scrutiny by regulators, environmental groups and the public at large. As part of this self-evaluation, many companies are finding aging infrastructure that is nearing its useful life and is not adequately (or cost effectively) treating the wastewater that is being produced. This is creating the need for rehabilitation or replacement of their treatment infrastructure.

We also are seeing new regulations that are forcing some industries, such as the coal fired power plants in the U.S., to install expensive wastewater treatment plants where little to no treatment was previously required. Additionally, we are seeing a higher level of treatment required for other industries when their permits come up for renewal, requiring new treatment or other infrastructure upgrades.

WWi: Which of the following do you see as having the most opportunity for water technology companies and why ? food & beverage; petrochemicals; mining or electronics manufacturing?

PN: We believe each of these market sectors has the potential to grow depending upon various market and economic factors. Overall, we see a general increase in industrial companies wanting to be more environmentally compliant, which creates opportunities for any water technology company. Within the specific sectors, the world’s population continues to grow, and people will continue to need food-so it is given that we will see expanding food production, and thus, increased water and wastewater need. Petrochemicals has seen some recent growth due to low oil and gas pricing, and consequently, many new potential facilities are being planned; however,  whether these facilities will be built will be dictated by world demand of their chemical products. The mining sector always has water needs to address, but until commodity prices recover, mining will likely remain flat. Electronic manufacturing is an area that CH2M has been a leader in for many years, recognising that as the world becomes more connected, we will likely see more electronic related component production and the resulting water and wastewater treatment needs. 

WWi: Singapore has been referred to as a hydro hub, attracting over 100 water companies. What role do you think Singapore and the utility PUB can play in the fast growing industrial water market?

PN: Singapore is host to a range of industries due to the robust infrastructure built into the system. A resilient water infrastructure is one of these critical elements, which encourages industries to setup their operations in Singapore. However, even this resiliency will be put to the test in the near future from increasing variability from climate effects and a maturing set of infrastructure. With Singapore and PUB’s experience and successes in developing reuse, closing of the full water loop and engaging key stakeholders, this growing challenge has the potential to be the platform on which a sustainable model of governance can be built to show how a city like Singapore can create the conditions to achieve overall water infrastructure resiliency and harness technology to advance the industrial water market.

WWi: As a panellist in the Industrial Water Solutions Forum, what experience in industrial projects do you intend to bring to the table?

PN: Throughout my career, I have been fortunate to have worked on several industrial projects and this experience has given me the understanding and perspective of how our industrial clients view water. Our role as consultants is to help industries develop water management solutions using the latest technology services and tools to protect the environment, achieve sustainability goals and create a value proposition to the public or neighboring communities where their facilities are located. For instance, inside the fence line approaches to industrial water management include water use reduction, reuse and recycling, including cascading reuse; pollution prevention at source areas; and traditional, technology-based solutions. Beyond the fence line, we help companies work within their communities and watersheds to optimise local water resources and minimize impacts to the community and environment. By doing this, we are improving a company’s “brand,” achieving their environmental goals and minimising the impact on their bottom line.

My presentation will provide examples of how CH2M is working with clients in industry to manage water resources and demonstrating what a vision of water sustainability is within the Oil & Gas, Mining, Power and Chemical industries.

[출처 = Water World / 2016년 6월 21일]