22 June 2009

Official Launch of NUS-GE Singapore Water Technology Centre

The National University of Singapore (NUS) and GE today launched their new Singapore Water Technology Centre. This is GE Water's first collaboration with a university in the Asia-Pacific. Located on the NUS Kent Ridge Campus, this S$150 million centre will develop and test technology in areas such as desalination, water reuse, the generation of ultra-pure water for the semiconductor industry, and chemical analysis of water and wastewater.

The state-of-the-art centre currently houses over 30 researchers, scientists and engineers. At full capacity it will have 70 staff in the Centre.

The Centre was officially opened by Dr Tony Tan, Chairman of the National Research Foundation, in the presence of over 70 representatives from industry, government sector and the research community. The centre is opened in conjunction with the Singapore International Water Week, held from 22-26 June 2009.

Professor Tan Chorh Chuan, President of NUS, said, "Having sufficient clean water is a major issue for Singapore and many parts of the world. This exciting partnership brings together complementary expertise from NUS and GE to develop new capabilities in water technologies that will help address this challenge. As a comprehensive research-intensive university, NUS can draw from a wide range of disciplines including engineering, biological sciences, public policy and law, to work with GE in basic and applied research. The Centre will create a competitive advantage for Singapore's water industry and play an important role in attracting talented researchers to NUS and training graduate manpower for Singapore."

"Working together is the only way we can successfully and expeditiously address the most pertinent water challenges, including alleviating the increasing water stress found in many parts of the world. Leveraging the research resources of both NUS and GE, the work done at this center will be truly life changing for many," says Mr Heiner Markhoff, CEO of GE Water & Process Technologies.

"We are delighted that a global leader like GE Water has decided to establish its water R&D Centre in Singapore. This is a reflection of the strong partnership between GE and Singapore and also of Singapore's evolving position as a leading hydrohub. We are confident that GE Water will be able to leverage on Singapore's vibrant water ecosystem." says Mr Manohar Khiatani, Deputy Managing Director, Economic Development Board and Deputy Executive Director, Environment & Water Industry Development Council.

An industry-university alliance, the new 2,700 sqm centre will undertake fundamental research and industry innovations in water treatment, and strengthen collaboration between government, universities and industry in Singapore and overseas. Leveraging the research efforts of both NUS and GE will enable researchers from GE and Singapore to further address one of the world's most pressing challenges.

The centre will focus on a wide range of technology and engineering developments, from the fundamental development of next generation technologies through to optimising system designs and fine composition analysis of water systems. For example:

• New membrane product development will range from basic materials and device development through feasibility studies and piloting of new membranes and membrane systems. The center will evaluate pressure driven and electrically driven separation processes as well as new separation concepts.
• Development of engineered systems for water treatment, including improved seawater desalination systems, membrane-based systems for drinking water production, systems for municipal and industrial water treatment and reuse, and equipment for generating ultra-pure water.
• Sophisticated analysis of water and wastewater for a better understanding of how contaminants can be removed from water, detection and the impact of biological species, and investigating the status of contaminants in recycled water systems.

These projects will be funded by the centre and will include GE and NUS researchers. NUS will, in addition, initiate a programme to select GE Fellows, who are PhD research scholars with cutting-edge research projects as part of their PhD dissertations. Finally, the Centre is seeking competitive funding for its first exploratory project on efficient desalination of water.