Industry, Logistics & Shipping

MBR systems market in Saudi, UAE to see 17pc growth

The membrane bioreactors (MBR) systems market in Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Iran is expected to register a compound annual growth rate of nearly 17 per cent between 2011 and 2018, as wastewater treatment, reuse and recycling initiatives gain momentum, according to a report.

Energy efficiency, an attractive payback period, and prolonged life span are further factors augmenting growth, according to the ‘Membrane Bioreactor Systems Market in the KSA, UAE and Iran, 2017’ report, by Frost & Sullivan’s research.

To harness a wealth of untapped opportunities, membrane suppliers should collaborate with local water original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and system integrators to access lucrative new-build projects and a ripe replacement market, added the report.

The study focuses on key market developments, drivers, restraints, growth opportunities, technologies, future trends, and end-user segments expected to drive market demand.

Frost & Sullivan Energy & Environment consultant Nideshna Naidu, said:  “The region is unique in terms of having to resort to desalination to meet local needs.”

“The need for water is also typified in the form of a highly concentrated pocket of demand for rapidly urbanising areas, or ones undergoing significant industrial development,” she said.

“MBR systems, on account of availability in packaged containerised options with high degrees of automation, present an ideal, cost-effective, low-installation footprint solution for this type of demand,” she added.

The overall footprint or space required to set up a MBR plant is just about one-fourth of the space occupied by a conventional activated sludge treatment plant. This makes it more appealing for use in hotels, hospitals, commercial and residential properties, and also in small and medium industrial enterprises where space is a major constraint.

With mounting water issues, municipalities are under stress to provide water for various applications, including industrial, commercial, and residential segments. Though wastewater recycling and reuse is an option to meet water requirements, challenges are limiting its use, including: high price sensitivity towards advanced wastewater systems; negative perception about wastewater recycling; lack of technological awareness and skilled manpower; fragmented nature of the market; and weak enforcement of regulatory laws.

Naidu continued: “In its quest for sustainable and green growth, the GCC is developing smart city concepts, wherein MBRs are anticipated to play a central role in treating grey and sewage water back to fresh water levels.”

“With the evolution of green technologies, the discharge standards for wastewater are expected to become so stringent that MBRs can be a panacea to prevent pollution, reclaim effluents, and lessen the overall water footprint,” she added.

The report forms part of Frost & Sullivan’s Environment & WaterGrowth Partnership Service programme, it stated. – TradeArabia News Service