@stockrock It is important to recognise that Fluence have again diversified their approach to selling MABR technology.
Where you have quoted the 2,000 to 100,000 m3/d, this is applicable only to SUBRE retrofit into existing WWTP aeration basins.
SUBRE retrofit is currently still under a trial at the Ma'ayan Zvi WWTP in Israel, where they are testing 2 basins, side by side, one with SUBRE and one without, to determine the best treatment performance under a range of aeration patterns. Black & Veatch are conducting a review over the next 4 months, with a paper to be published in early 2020 on the results. This single basin has 11 x 3 stack SUBRE modules, currently treating around 5200 m3/d. After the trial has determined optimal performance, the other basin will be fitted with SUBRE. I believe the aim is to get the plant to a total treatment capacity of 13,500 m3/d.
I would not expect a commercial sale of a SUBRE retrofit plant until 2020, once further data on optimal performance has been collected from Israel. ________________
SUBRE greenfield is where the excitement should lie for now. This isn't simply selling 28 SUBRE 3x modules (84 x MABR spirals). This is a custom engineered 3,000 m3/d concrete SUBRE plant, with consideration for cold weather performance (likely partially buried, or contained within another building, with a possible fat & oil separation pre-treatment step). As this is a custom design, I expect there to be some engineering markup and additional equipment requirements in addition to the SUBRE modules, adding to the plant cost. Consider this to be the equivalent of selling 30 of the Hubei iTEST 100 m3/d Aspiral L4 plants, with a more sophisticated and efficient integration of the components.
I expect Fluence to have leveraged their experience with the Jilin cold weather Aspiral 1200 m3/d plant to win the design specification for this one, and from their words they expect to leverage this win to win additional cold weather projects in northern China in the Liaoning, Jilin, and Heilongjiang provinces.
SUBRE greenfield fills a hole in the market for a quick build, custom integrated solution between 700 m3/d and 5000 m3/d. Any smaller and it is more efficient to build an Aspiral plant, any larger and a typical municipal plant will likely be required. I think this will be an area of the market that gains a lot of attention, as it is also out of the range and capacity of the real cheap and low tech solutions, allowing the strengths of MABR treatment to shine.
The build for the Panjin plant is to be completed in 100 days, which gives an indication of the relative speed of construction.
This area is an important tourism spot in China. It is considered the most beautiful wetland area in China. It is recognised by the United Nations as a important world wetland area. Ding Xiang, eco-tourism resort located in the new Xinglongtai District, Panjin City, for the state 4A level scenic spots, the provincial wetland forest park. Resort about 22 km from Panjin city, set tours, sightseeing, business, leisure and holiday in one. Ding Xiang, a large eco-tourism resort area of reeds, woodland, rivers, marshes, swamps and rivers and rice fields constitute the northern coastal wetland natural landscape, displaying the characteristics of northern rivers and lakes. Peace River in the resort zone, birds park, composed of reed three scenic beach crab. This residential and tourism area does not appear to have a large scale WWTP, with a residential population of around 12,500. Fluence advertise a 300 m3/d Aspiral MABR plant as being suitable to treat the wastewater of up to 1800 people. A 3,000 m3/d plant would therefore have the capacity for up to 18,000 people, which seems to suit the residential plus peak tourist requirements of the area. __________________
The Panjin City plant is now the 4th SUBRE greenfield plant sold with the largest capacity to date. 3000 m3/d - 28 SUBRE 3x modules (84 MABR spirals).
There have been 3 SUBRE greenfield plants sold in Jamaica to the NHT (1 unannounced).
The National Housing Trust in Jamaica is appearing to require a great deal of investment in their WWTP infrastructure, so this appears to be just the start of the opportunity there. Considering that SUBRE greenfield was launched in mid March, it has now sold a similar capacity in 4 applications to what iTEST has so far installed. If demand for SUBRE greenfield appears in more markets, then requirement for MABR spirals will quickly scale.
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