The climate crisis is one of the biggest challenges of our time and requires urgent, global attention. So how can the water sector respond?
The sector itself is a major contributor of greenhouse gas emissions. More must be done to help the sector implement technologies to achieve carbon neutrality.
The sector is also traditionally very risk-averse, which often results in slow uptake of innovations. Meanwhile innovations undergo trials without subsequent implementation due to numerous barriers, including cost.
This is where the Trial Reservoir comes in – by providing technology companies with risk-free access to trial loan funding as long as there is potential implementation immediately after the trial. It provides loans while simultaneously guiding and supporting trials from start to finish and ensuring best scientific practice is adopted. The loan must only be repaid if the trial is a success.
Its objectives are to:
• Accelerate the industry towards net zero carbon by supporting 10+ trials per year to implementation;
• Deploy $1.3m per year in trials;
• Achieve a success rate of six out of 10 trials and 70% by amount invested;
• Reduce pilot-to-implementation time by 80%; and
• Alleviate 120,000 tonnes (30,000 people’s worth) of carbon per year.
The Trial Reservoir has enormous global potential to increase and accelerate the uptake of clean technologies in the water sector. By adopting this model, the industry can be catapulted to where it needs to be in the race against catastrophic climate change.
If you have a technology that helps mitigate climate change, and you would like to participate in the Trial Reservoir, visit www.trialreservoir.com or contact Jo Burgess jo.burgess@isleutilities.com.
Sample trials:
Picture of a village tap using eWATER SmartTaps and SmartTags, being trialled in The Gambia
Results from the Orege SLG technology, being trialled in the UK
