Market dynamics as a driver towards the evolution of research needs : the case of up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket seeding granules
Date
2013-01
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Water Research Commission
Abstract
Market dynamics offer positive (incentive) or negative (disincentive) feedback loops that shape the research needs for, or
certain aspects of, a particular technology. Our case study results illustrate how market dynamics have influenced the evolution of research needs in the wastewater treatment sector, with specific emphasis on research on the seeding granules used to
start up-flow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors. Because of insufficient data on the actual market demand for seeding
granules for UASB plants, surrogate data, on the number of UASB plants installed internationally from 1970 to 2007, were
used to predict the potential future demand for seeding granules. Secondly, we also determined whether or not such a demand
would provide sufficient economic justification for the installation of one or more plants for manufacturing seeding granules
in South Africa. The direct relationship between the demand for seeding granules and increased numbers of UASB plants
was based on the premise that the start-up of each plant required a seeding inoculum before effluent could be treated. Three
methods were used to obtain the data used in this study, namely: a literature survey, a questionnaire survey, and interviews
with people having expert knowledge of wastewater treatment technologies. Our findings suggest that the UASB technology
has largely been marginalised in the wastewater treatment market because of the introduction of competing technologies,
and due to high initial capital costs. As a result, South African market demand for the seeding granules is likely to be very
small or non-existent, because the number of new UASB plants installed per year is likely to decrease in future. Secondly, our
research suggests that market dynamics, political contexts and technologies will continue to change, exerting an increasing
downward influence on the UASB technology over time.
Description
CITATION: Musee, N. & Lorenzen, L. 2013. Market dynamics as a driver towards the evolution of
research needs : the case of up-flow anaerobic sludge
blanket seeding granules, Water SA, 39(1):131-142, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v39i1.13.
The original publication is available at http://www.wrc.org.za
The original publication is available at http://www.wrc.org.za
Keywords
Research, Sewage
Citation
Musee, N. & Lorenzen, L. 2013. Market dynamics as a driver towards the evolution of
research needs : the case of up-flow anaerobic sludge
blanket seeding granules, Water SA, 39(1):131-142, doi:http://dx.doi.org/10.4314/wsa.v39i1.13.