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In view of the water shortage and need to locate alternative energy sources, GES places utmost importance on promoting CleanTech technologies through strategic, technological and scientific partnerships. GES, a leader in water, waste-water and environmental treatments, has extensive professional know-how, accumulating experience and robust financial backing.

Recently, GES initiates partnerships with academic entities, start-ups and companies representing innovative technologies in its line of business. The character of this cooperation is adapted to the requirements of the development groups: from investment (full or partial ownership) through strategic and technological cooperation to shared knowledge.

Several examples of partnerships in the industry:

Acquisition of start-up Uneqileen Industrial Wastewater Treatment
Uneqileen is a start-up born in the Emek Initiatives technological hothouse in Migdal HaEmek. The company develops unique treatment methods for hard industrial waste-water containing high concentrations of organic wastes including detergents, phenols, chlorinated hydrocarbons and heavy metals. Currently, the only solution for such waste is to burn or bury them at a hazardous waste disposal facility such as Ramat Hovav. Uneqileen technology enables plants to forgo costly waste disposal expenses, saving tens of thousands of dollars annually. GES acquired Uneqileen in 2005, upon successful completion of technical and economical feasibility tests for several customers. An automatic pilot facility was constructed for optimal demonstration of the technology.

N-Viro technology for treating wastewater sludge to adapt it to type A sludge according to the Ministry of Environmental Protection regulations
GES is partner to the Dan Viro consortium established to treat Dan region sludge. The N-Viro method stabilizes the sludge and decreases the level of pathogens and volatile substances that cause odor hazards by mixing them with alkaline stabilizers causing an exothermal reaction without investing energy. The composition and availability of the alkaline mix, mainly fly ash and line, and the character of the process enable generation of type A sludge using simple, cheap technology.

This technology is environmentally friendly and is acknowledged by EPA as green technology. Presently, a facility for treatment of 15% of the Dan region sludge is being constructed at the Dan region.

Scientific cooperation with academic entities on increasing the return ratio at brackish water desalination plants
GES in partnership with the Technion technical institute is constructing a pilot facility for increasing the return ratio when desalinating brackish water. This advanced technology enables significant decrease in concentration and raises the financial viability of water desalination. The pilot is being constructed at the company desalination plant in Atlit.

Participation in the Magnet research group sponsored by the Chief Scientist
In the framework of the Magnet Project sponsored by the Chief Scientist, a research group on developing technological facilities for monitoring and repressing the biofouling problem – microbial sepsis in water treatment and supply systems.

Group members include: GES, Netafim, Mekorot, Atlantium, Amiad, Arkal and BPT. Scientists from the Hebrew University, Bar Ilan University, Technion, Oceanographic Research Institute and Beer Sheba University. The major objective in establishing the group was to find an efficient, effective technological solution to the biofouling problem – microbial layer in water systems that destroys and causes outage of water desalination devices. The growing global shortage of water, development of alternative water sources using advanced technologies, has created a commercial window of opportunity for many companies around the world. Widespread use of innovative, developed desalination and filtering technologies is obstructed by biofouling, causing decline in function and efficiency of water pipes, increase in energy demands, outage of installations and high investment required to rehabilitate them – all the above turn the option of producing alternative water into a financially non-viable alternative.

GES shall develop technologies to decrease the growth potential of biofouling in membrane water desalination systems using biological pre-treatment based on bio-reactors with substrate and nutrients causing the bio-mass film that develops in downstream protected systems to decrease.

The technology will be developed in two directions:

1. Bio-reactors on a fixed natural or synthetic stratus as a base for development of biological stratus type filters combining mechanisms of bacterial and physical activity over filtration strata with mechanical filtering mechanisms.
2. Bio-reactors on a floating natural or synthetic stratus as a base for development of filters such as MBR combining biological action in a floating mass with membrane filtering mechanism.

Advanced disinfection using green technology – electrolysis
In 2006, GES acquired Argad and continues to develop its electrolysis operations. Chlorination is the most commonly used method for disinfecting water. Its advantages stem from the extensive operational experience over many years and compatibility with all types of water. However, this method has financial shortcomings and low environmental viability compared to disinfection by electrolysis. The electrolytic treatment method using DC current is based on electrolytic separation of water. As a result of passage of electric current between two electrodes (anode and cathode) the electrolytic medium of water and salt is separated into components according to chemical reactions on the electrodes. Thus chlorides in the water are utilized to clean the water without adding external chemicals. Currently, several such facilities are operating in Israel. Presently, an additional disinfection device has been successfully installed at the Jordan River Association.

In framework of its ongoing activities to locate and promote technologies, GES is examining additional innovative technologies in different fields, including:

• Treatment of industrial wastewater using innovative membranes
• Treatment of municipal wastewater and utilizing it as an alternative source of energy
• Examining advanced water filtration strata
• Treating industrial waste and waste-water using plasma

We at GES believe in tomorrow's technology and invest in it and invite other development groups to take part in our success.

SOURCE: GES - Global Environmental Solutions