Developing visionary concepts for the water sector

Transcription

1 Tarja Meristö & Jukka Laitinen Developing visionary concepts for the water sector Jukka Laitinen Futures Conference 2018 ENERGIZING FUTURES Sustainable Development and Energy in Transition, June 2018, Tampere, Finland

2 CIRCLE project New opportunities for energy and nutrient recycling in water supply CIRCLE project (9/ /2018) focuses on enhancement of recycling and re-use of energy and nutrients in municipal wastewater treatment The objective is to reduce the use of imported nutrients and energy in relation to the volume of production Partners: Häme University of Applied Sciences (coordinator), Laurea University of Applied Sciences, Aalto University, The Association for Water and Environment of Western Uusimaa & SYKLI Environmental School of Finland Funded by European Regional Development Fund 2 Meristö & Laitinen

3 CIRCLE project as a background for the study Phases of the project 9/ /2018 Current state = collected background information A. Energy recycling B. Nutrient recycling Aalto Häme UAS 6. Future Laurea UAS - Changing factors, dynamics, scenarios, visionary concepts New opportunities for awareness Seminar 5/2017 Vision of Circle project energy and nutrient recycling in water supply C. Water resources, re-use, recycling D. Technology 1. Actors / ecosystem Häme UAS Luvy Luvy Häme UAS Laurea UAS Luvy International benchmarking information Networking Dissemination Workshop - challenges and solutions FACTORS PESTE-changes + 20years ACTORS changes in ecosystem 3/2018 Scenario workshop - Future tables Scenario stories Visionary concepts 10/2018 Closing Seminar + Final Report (Vesitalouslehti) 9/ Financial mechanisms Tarja Meristö 12/ Legislation 4. Education needs 5. Best practises Sykli All e.g legislative steering informative steering steering mechanisms 6/2018 Reports & Publications 11/2018

4 Research Objectives The main objective of the Laurea s sub-project is to create future-oriented concepts for the energy and nutrient recycling in the context of water supply services. Other aspects include What the world/society needs? to create future-oriented solutions to resource scarcity and polarization at world level What the branch needs? to find knowhow-intensive education modules for export What the firm needs? to exploit new opportunities and visionary concepts based on scenario alternatives What the individual/consumer needs? to provide easy solutions to everyday life concerning sustainable way of living We have applied visionary concept design for these research questions to find out new solutions in the form of hybrid product concept. 4 Meristö & Laitinen

5 The Framework As a framework we apply hybrid product framework. The core elements of the product consist of physical, service and know-how element but also financial, customer and ecosystem elements are taken into consideration to form comprehensive solutions. (c) Tarja Meristö (mukaeltu SERVICE 5 Meristö & Laitinen (c) Tarja Meristö 2009 (adapted from Meristö 1991)

6 The main method: Visionary Concept Design Visionary concept design starts from the future and its alternative development paths and focuses on needs and opportunities identified from alternative scenarios. Scenarios will serve as an ideation source to design visionary concepts, but also as wind tunnels to test ideas and concepts (Kokkonen et al. 2005). Business potential Orient Express modular vehicle Big Mac Filters: = technology = markets = society Diplomatic dominance No logo Bio Boom market mule ball moped Sabotag e effective running Time Example: Concepts about short distance travelling for different scenarios 6 safety vehicle

7 The data The data has been collected from the participatory visionary design workshop consisting of various actors in the different fields in the water service supply ecosystem, including the enablers there Previous data collection - Factors & Actors Preliminary scenarios Scenario workshop - Future tables Scenario stories Visionary concepts (workshop Three different groups/perspectives: 1) Training & education 2) Expert & guiding services 3) Consumer 7 Meristö & Laitinen

8 Results: Water Sector Scenarios 8 Meristö & Laitinen

9 Future tables: structure and content Example: Scenario 1. Saving the world WORLD Sufficiency of water resources Continious lack Lack causes crises Sufficiency is ensured by new technology Sufficiency is ensured by legislation New water resources are found Actors UN Forerunner countries Exisiting firms NGO Demand for water supply management / business Growing globally Growing in current scarcity areas Not a special issue The focus of demand New digital technology (infra) Water supply services Water purification Branded water for consumers Branded water, B-to-B Leading countries in water management/ Business Leading counties in water management/ Development aid Finland USA China Europe No leading countries Finland USA China Europe Areas with biggest need Africa Asian cities Fragmented poor areas everywhere Everywhere globally Population movements Migration of people widely Dry areas with problems 9 Meristö & Laitinen

10 EUROPE/FINLAND Competitive situation (in water supply management) Scenario 1. Saving the world Municipal monopolies Free market economy, water safety regulated Free market economy, money determines Development of Russia Instability for Baltic Sea Stable development Water purification of St. Petersburg as a pilot EU-legislation Restricts business opportunities No effects in water business Only through environmental legislattion Opens new opportunities Willingness to pay extra for pure water Willing to pay little extra Willing to pay extra remarkably In rich countries yes No willingess New kind of payments concerningn the use of water Disposable payments Continuous payments Not coming yet Not coming at all Water management in rural areas Coordinated, suffers from urbanisation Coordinated and good Fragmented Immigration New demands for water supply management No effects on water supply management Local effects Digitalisation Generalises (consume monitoring) Not generalises Generalises in other functions Smart technology Forerunners use Widely used Not generalises Support traditional technology Integrated energy production (to water purification) New normal Rate Locally somewhere Only pilots Not at all Water crises Minor threat Wide water crises Local water crises Recognized risk Recycling of water and circular economy Diminishes the use of ground water No effects on the use of ground water No need to use ground water Not yes Recycling of nutrients 10 Meristö & Laitinen 10 Recycling technology becomes general slowly Recycling technology becomes general New radical technology

11 WATER BRANCH / ACTORS Scenario 1. Saving the world Focus of innovations Infrastructure Enhancing activities, lean Technological development Traditional technology Focusing on digitalisation Explorging new opportunities Totally new technologies No focus No focus on technology Market perspective Local Regional, across the boundaries Global Company principles Conservative Growth intensive Creating new Radical renewals Key actors Water treatment actors Research and development User sector organisations Consumers Legislators, international agreements Water treatment plants (size and ownership) Small and local Big and national Big and international Internationally networked small companies Public-private partnerships Not at all Public sector dominates Markets dominate Equally Education and know how Coordinated mult-actor forum Fragmented Mainly digitally Global standards, local realisations Co-operation between waterand bio-branches Synergies grow Merges Separately 11 Meristö & Laitinen

12 Results: Visionary concepts related to the consumer perspective Scenarios Visionary concepts No waste at all mindset to the common use Denying the disposable bottles (and other disposable things), safe nondisposable bottles Digital meters Stopping the use of useless chemicals (e.g. when washing clothes) Consumer driven information channel: reliable information in understandable way (ensuring reliability e.g. with block chain technology?) Water footprint widely to the general use Quality water (standards and cerfication). Using of social media to raise awareness of water issues Own activity of consumers in sustainability issues Preferring local products Recycling Digital solutions related to use of water Considering water footprint in all activities (e.g. measuring own daily water footprint by mobile app) Measuring the quality of water by cell phone scanning 12 Jukka Laitinen & Tarja Meristö October 2016 time

13 Specifying the visionary concept 1. Chosen scenario: 1. Saving the world 2. To whom (target group of the concept): All (consumers, companies, government) 3. Describe the concept: Taking water footprint widely to the general use 4. Name of the concept: Standardized water footprint 5. What novel features the concept offers? Consumer can make better decisions and observe his own consumer behaviour Companies can monitor their activities, market their products and services based on water footpring Government can allocate taxation and tariffs on consumers and companies Digitality, real time information 6. Why the concept suits for this certain scenario Concerns a wide group of stakeholders Concept can be copied to other countries to utilize Saves water resources, raises awareness of scarce water resources 7. Who implements? Who finances? 8. Is there demand? Guiding: EU, national-level, network The authority admits the seal of approval Companies and research institutions are are developing the system under the guidence of authorities. In Finland many companies would be willing to use it

14 Steps towards the concepts Chosen concept: Standardized water footprint Need of partners? Wide network of actors is necessary Will there be decisions? Investment needs? The decision of investing from authorities is needed Key companies have to commit themselves Investments are needed e.g. to research & development and dissemination Is there enough know-how? There is enough know-how, but wide range of co-operation is needed between different stakeholders: research, companies and authorities Time needed to realise? 10 years

15 Conclusions The future challenges related to energy, nutrients and water are fundamental and relevant to many different levels including society, industry, business and consumers as well (e.g. climate change, scarcity) In the context of water service supply and energy recycling the service element can come from the water treatment plant, know-how from the university and education and the product element from industry companies in different branches As a hybrid solution, these aspects will be combined in a new way towards a visionary solution for the future, e.g standardized water footprint In order to create holistic future oriented solutions, it is recommendable that the workshop participants consist of different groups presenting business, society, NGOs and individual citizens. Global perspective is important even when considering local / national solutions 15 Meristö & Laitinen

16 Thank you! Do not hesitate to contact us! Jukka Laitinen Tarja Meristö Laurea University of Applied Sciences FuturesLab CoFi 16 Tarja Meristö & Jukka Laitinen