(don't) Waste Water! | Water Tech to Solve the World – Details, episodes & analysis

When traditional chemistry or oxidation processes fall short, SUDOC gives them a hand by putting their efficiency on steroids. Better: it applies the Cuckoo Tactic and may well outgrow its host process, something you may want to emulate! Wanna learn how? Listen to this episode!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

SUDOC's website: https://www.sudoc.com/

Momentum Capital's website: https://www.momentum-capital.com/

PureTerra Ventures' website: https://pureterra.com/

Christopher Gasson's appearance on the podcast: https://dww.show/these-2-global-water-business-blocks-will-help-to-mitigate-the-3rd-one/

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: @dwwpodcast

Main Channel: @AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

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Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DontWasteWat...

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 Introduction

01:28 The Chemical Challenge: Endocrine Disruptors

03:33 Sudoc's Innovative Catalysts

04:34 Investment and Market Strategy

07:49 Sudoc's Dual Business Model

13:06 The Science Behind New TAML Catalysts

19:24 Commercial Applications and Market Adoption

25:46 Future Goals and Scaling Up

30:52 Industrial Wastewater Treatment Innovations

31:23 Addressing PFAS and Emerging Contaminants

33:38 The Broader Water Treatment Conversation

36:45 The NABC Methodology and Water Sector Challenges

38:02 Sudoc's Commercial Focus and Future Plans

39:47 The Impact of Chemicals on Human Health

44:43 Sudoc's Recent Fundraising Success

47:56 Production and Scaling Strategies

49:48 The Vision for Sudoc's Future

54:06 Personal Reflections and Company Mission

57:13 Rapid Fire Questions

#Catalyst #EndocrineDisruptors

About this Episode: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this episode is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

How do you go in just a decade from an MIT lab to a billion-dollar valuation in Water Tech? Everybody thought it was impossible until... Gradiant did it! Wanna find out how and what's next? Listen to this episode!

More #water insights? Connect with me on Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

#️⃣ All the Links Mentioned in this Video #️⃣

Will Gradiant succeed with H+E where SUEZ, Stulz, and Rena failed? https://youtu.be/GMk99gRjRSc?si=zAWY2rfg3GXFSWt2E

Gradiant's website: https://www.gradiant.com/

The Global Water Awards 2024: https://globalwaterawards.com/

Prakash Govindan's LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/prakash-govindan-87168310/

The 3 VCs that made money in Water Tech (the greatest success being... Gradiant): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dqLn4j3w0P0

Full blog article: https://dww.show/how-gradiant-became-the-first-and-only-water-tech-unicorn/

Prakash Govindan on My Climate Journey: https://www.mcjcollective.com/my-climate-journey-podcast/gradiant

🎙️ Subscribe and Listen to the Don't Waste Water Podcast HERE 🎙️

Podcast Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@dwwpodcast

Main Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@AntoineWalterDWW

Smartlink: https://smartlink.ausha.co/dont-waste-water

Website: https://dww.show/podcast/

👋 SOCIAL MEDIA 👋

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoinewalter1/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dwwpodcast/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AntoineWalter7

🙋 QUESTION: What would you like me to cover next?

⏰ TIME CODES ⏰

00:00 In This Week's Episode

02:29 Will Gradiant be named Water Company of the Year?

04:20 Gradiant's "Special Sauce" by Prakash Govindan

05:46 How big is Gradiant today?

07:06 Where does Gradiant's journey start?

14:33 How did Gradiant strive where Incumbents gave up?

16:38 Why did Gradiant focus on the industrial market?

18:35 What is Turing, Gradiant's new AI spin out?

20:25 When did Gradiant start expanding its water tech portfolio?

23:02 How does Gradiant open a new region?

26:10 The secret to Gradiant's "Proprietary Deals"

30:50 How does Gradiant engineer its "unfair advantage"

31:23 Gradiant's unbelievable employee participation scheme

33:41 What's next after their record-breaking Series D?

36:53 Will Gradiant ever enter the municipal market?

38:04 Are Gradiant's founders ready to pass the baton?

39:53 Gradiant's new verticals: PFAS & DLE

42:20 Gradiant's two aces up their PFAS Removal sleeve

45:33 Gradiant's M&A tricks

48:18 Succeeding with H+E Mission Impossible?

50:07 Gradiant's plans for Europe

50:46 Gradiant's next M&A moves

51:50 What makes Gradiant the 2024 Water Company of the Year?

54:38 Rapid Fire Questions

57:53 7 Insights from the First Ever Water Tech Unicorn

#WaterTech #WaterUnicorn #WaterEntrepreneurship

About this Podcast: Welcome to the (don't) Waste Water podcast! In each episode, Antoine Walter from DWW Media shares water, wastewater & water entrepreneurship stories. This show will teach you the water industry like you've never seen it. If you're asking how the water sector will overcome the water crises ahead, this video is for you.

Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Aquaporin, led by CEO Matt Boczkowski, is at the forefront of integrating biotechnology with water treatment. The company's journey began with the Nobel Prize-winning research of Peter Agre on aquaporins, which inspired Aquaporin to develop membranes that mimic these natural water channels. Initially focusing on forward osmosis due to its natural alignment with aquaporin proteins, the company has since expanded into reverse osmosis to tap into established markets and ensure revenue growth.

Aquaporin's strategic shift from a primarily residential revenue base to a balanced residential and industrial mix reflects its adaptive market approach. High-profile partnerships with companies like Gallo and Philips underscore Aquaporin's innovative edge and market credibility. The collaboration with PUB in Singapore to create energy-efficient reverse osmosis membranes exemplifies the company's commitment to addressing global water challenges through cutting-edge technology.

The company's branding, inspired by the fashion industry, sets it apart in the traditionally conservative water sector. This unique approach not only enhances Aquaporin's market presence but also resonates with consumers and industrial clients alike. Despite the challenges of being a publicly listed company, including the need for financial transparency and rigorous compliance, Aquaporin leverages its public status to secure significant partnerships and investments.

Aquaporin's focus on niche applications for forward osmosis, such as wine concentration and lithium extraction, demonstrates a strategic approach to market penetration. By concentrating on specific, high-potential sectors, Aquaporin aims to create impactful solutions that can scale effectively. The company's commitment to innovation and strategic growth is evident in its diverse product portfolio and ongoing efforts to develop new applications for its technology.

Looking ahead, Aquaporin aims to achieve profitability within the next few years, balancing growth with financial sustainability. The company's vision includes expanding its technological capabilities, particularly in making its aquaporin protein structures more universally applicable across different membrane technologies. This forward-thinking approach positions Aquaporin to continue leading in the water treatment industry, driving both technological advancements and market success.

Key Points:

1. Aquaporin uses biomimetic technology for water purification.

2. Initial focus was on forward osmosis due to natural alignment with aquaporins.

3. Expanded into reverse osmosis to access established markets.

4. Revenue shift from residential to balanced residential and industrial.

5. High-profile partnerships with Gallo and Philips.

6. Collaboration with PUB for energy-efficient reverse osmosis membranes.

7. Branding strategy inspired by the fashion industry.

8. Publicly listed on NASDAQ Copenhagen.

9. Focus on niche applications like wine concentration and lithium extraction.

10. Goal to achieve profitability within the next few years.

11. Diverse product portfolio including residential and industrial applications.

12. Innovative marketing approach differentiates Aquaporin in the market.

13. Strategic growth through targeted niche applications.

14. Commitment to technological advancements in water treatment.

15. Vision to make aquaporin proteins universally applicable across membrane technologies.

Full Episode: https://dww.show/how-aquaporin-channels-reverse-and-forward-osmosis-together-for-growth/

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According to the US Government, the Salton Sea could produce up to 600'000 tons of Lithium per year, which at today's spot price would be worth $26 Billion a year.

For a Sea that's turning into a chemically polluted swamp, that's an unexpected twist of fate!

Especially when it doubles down to being a pretty green way to produce that lithium, as direct lithium extraction technologies would co-locate with geothermal energy production.

But wait: isn't that too good to be true? Aren't Berkshire Hattaway, Controlled Thermal Resources, and Energy Source Minerals struggling a bit to unlock that resource? Didn't Simbol Materials actually... die on that spot as a company in that endeavor?

Well, it seems like Salton Sea lithium projects are about to seriously accelerate, as Controlled Thermal Resources just announced a $1 billion contract with Aquatech International to build the Lithium Refinery the site will need to reach battery-grade products for their customers, Stellantis and General Motors. 

Let's cut through the fog and review this aspiring Salton Sea miracle!

More information:

Vulcan's Project in Germany: https://dww.show/vulcans-clever-strategy-to-take-off-its-zero-carbon-lithium-sell-it-years-ahead/

The mysterious company that may well work with Berkshire Hattaway at the Salton Sea (my pure speculation): https://dww.show/the-game-changing-company-with-60-patents-thats-disrupting-the-battery-industry/

▶️ Watch the video version of this episode on YouTube    

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with 🎙️ Cris Moreno - Deputy CEO at Vulcan Energy Resources 

💧 Vulcan aims to decarbonize the transition to electric mobility through its world-first Zero Carbon Lithium Projects for electric vehicle batteries and its renewable energy business.

What we covered:

🥇 How Vulcan aims to become the world's first integrated lithium chemicals company while also producing renewable energy... 

0️⃣ ... and how they do all of this with net zero greenhouse emissions and without using any fossil fuels in their process 

🔁 How Vulcan's Zero Carbon Lithium projects feature a 24'000 t/y first stage and what might be the next ones 

💰 How Vulcan leapfrogged its path by acquiring an existing geothermal power plant in Hinsheim, Germany 

👨‍🔬 How the company tested various Direct Lithium Extraction (DLE) methodologies to end up developing a proprietary sorption process 

🇪🇺 How this sorption material belongs to the Dow / Dupont / FMC / Livent family, but with the added touch that it's made in Europe 

🌊 How Vulcan desorbs it with fresh water, and how water availability is one of the perks of producing in the Upper Rhine Valley 

🤑 How the company plans an 84% EBITDA on its Zero Carbon Lithium product, despite a forecasted lithium price way below the current spot 

🚗 How, to whom, and under which conditions Vulcan sold its Zero Carbon Lithium product to battery and car manufacturers years ahead of actually producing it 

🏗️ How 2023 shall be pivotal for Vulcan to transform from a development company into an actual production company 

📈 How the Company has €120 Million in its bank account... and actively looks to increase its financing in order to cover for the first phase of the project 

🫰 How the Upper Rhine Valley is Europe's largest lithium resource, and a globally relevant one and how CAPEX might be the only thing to slow it down to cover for the entirety of Europe's lithium needs 

🛢️ How DLE combined with geothermal energy production might be seen as a complex mining project... or as a very easy oil and gas one! 

📅 Kicking off production in 2025, producing renewable power & heat, next projects in the Upper Rhine Valley - and on the French side, building the right team to execute the project, kicking off the commercial scale in Q3 2023... and much more!

🔥 ... and of course, we concluded with the 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 🔥

🔗 Come say hi to Cris on LinkedIn 

🔗 Check Vulcan's website

➡️ Check out the entire article on How Vulcan plans to take off its Zero Carbon Lithium assets in the Upper Rhine Valley

➡️ Reach out to me: [email protected] 

More episodes in this Series:

1 - Why Water Technologies Matter in Lithium Mining (And Why You Should Buy Now!)

2 - The Shocking Requirements of Spodumene Processing (and other Lithium 101 stories)

3 - Standard Lithium's 10 Simple Secrets to DLE Success (and how that rolls out in El Dorado)

4 - How 'Reverse ZLD' made the World's Largest Water Company a Lithium Refinery Expert 

5 - The Game-Changing Company with 60 Patents That's Disrupting the Battery Industry 

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Cris Moreno is Deputy CEO at Vulcan Energy Resources. Vulcan aims to decarbonize the transition to electric mobility through its world-first Zero Carbon Lithium™ Project for electric vehicle batteries and its renewable energy business.

This exploration of the Lithium World has taken me far from home. Canada, USA, Mexico, Australia, Argentina, Bolivia, UK... But one of the most exciting projects in this new wave actually happens to be a dozen kilometers away from where I cut my wastewater engineering teeth, and Vulcan, the project developer, just signed an off-take agreement with a car factory I can see if I climb up my village's hill.

And this makes sense for a ton of reasons! First, the Rhine Valley used to be a Salt Flat, exactly like the Atacama Desert nowadays, and this was just 35 million years ago. So on the geological scale of things, it makes sense. 

Then, it is a geothermal region, and Germany actively pushes to add more geothermal plants to its energy mix, which means thousands of cubic meters of water that are pumped from that lithium-rich aquifer anyways, which allows you to emulate the example we heard from Standard Lithium, piggy-backing on Lanxess' Bromine business. 

But maybe most importantly, Europe is actively building about 30 battery gigafactories. And that's a staple in the zero-carbon transition of mobility! But to feed those factories, Europe will need lithium at some point. Today, 97% of that lithium is imported from China. And with China's own plans to further build up the battery value chain, they may well use all their lithium themselves, which would leave Europe without any white oil.

So Vulcan's endeavors in the Upper Rhine Valley, today on the German side and anytime soon on the French side, would not only be one of the largest lithium projects in the World. But from 2026 on, it might also be Europe's EV strategy lifeline - as long as I'm not fully up to speed with my own backyard project. 

So what's Vulcan's plan to a - quote unquote - "Glorified Water Processing Facility" able to deliver 24'000 tons of lithium hydroxide in its first phase, but also 300 GWh of renewable power and 250 GWh of renewable heat? Cris will be our guide, just after this reminder that if you like what you hear, if all of this is of any value to you, please take this episode and share it with a friend, a colleague, your boss, or your team, and I'll meet you on the other side!

➡️ Check out the entire article on how Vulcan enabled its Zero Carbon Lithium project by selling its products years ahead, including a teaser, a slider, and a full transcript on the (don't) Waste Water website!

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with 🎙️ Teague Egan - CEO & Founder of EnergyX 

💧 EnergyX is on a mission to become a worldwide leader in the global transition to sustainable energy

What we covered:

🌵 How the story of EnergyX started in the salt flats of Uyuni with Teague Egan's initiatory journey to Bolivia 

🗓️ How EnergyX has a masterplan and how this one goes beyond "just" supplying lithium extraction technology to the World 

🔒 How the company's claims of a disruptive approach to direct lithium extraction are backed by an impressive amount of patents all along the value chain 

☀️ What the problem with existing lithium evaporation ponds is, and how that offers significant potential for improvement for new technologies 

📜 How lithium-ion battery legend and Nobel Prize recipient John Goodenough endorsed EnergyX's efforts in the battery space and how the company breeds his legacy 

4️⃣ The four key aspects to consider when working on a lithium extraction process 

🚱 How EnergyX's take at Direct Lithium Extraction needs water neither on the membrane nor on the solvent extraction side 

🛑 How the company got kicked out of Bolivia's lithium tender for questionable reasons, and how they might come back in the game given their unique technological perks 

🚼 How pure end-to-end DLE probably is the future of lithium extraction, but how DLE enhanced ponds are the best hybrid for a smooth transition 

💰 How Global Emerging Markets Group placed a $450 million check on the table for the day EnergyX goes public, what it enables, and what it involves 

🚀 How you scale a lithium extraction approach from pilot to demo and ultimately down the road to commercial-scale applications 

👨‍🔬 EnergyX's Edisonian approach, the special sauce to the company's lithium extraction process, the lowest permissible lithium concentration for their technology (and why it's different than their competition), the company's bet as to the place where it will go full-scale first... and much more!

🔥 ... and of course, we concluded with the 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 🔥

🔗 Come say hi to Teague on LinkedIn

🔗 Check EnergyX's website

➡️ Check out the entire article on How the Lithium King and his 60 Patent-Company may well disrupt the Battery Industry

➡️ Reach out to me: [email protected] 

More episodes in this Series:

1 - Why Water Technologies Matter in Lithium Mining (And Why You Should Buy Now!)

2 - The Shocking Requirements of Spodumene Processing (and other Lithium 101 stories)

3 - Standard Lithium's 10 Simple Secrets to DLE Success (and how that rolls out in El Dorado)

4 - How 'Reverse ZLD' made the World's Largest Water Company a Lithium Refinery Expert 

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Teague Egan is the CEO and Founder of EnergyX. EnergyX is on a mission to become a worldwide leader in the global transition to sustainable energy with breakthrough direct lithium extraction and refinery technologies, as well as more effective battery and energy storage solutions.

Imagine you're listening to "The End" - the famous hit of The Doors. You vaguely remember there's something pressing on your to-do list, but hey, who can resist the captivating voice of Jim Morrisson, right? 11'44 passes by, and you return to that to-do list. What's on top? Oh yeah, submit that folder for Bolivia's Direct Lithium Extraction tender.

But... 11'44 was 1'44 too long, and time is over; you're out. Kind of bitter, right? I obviously romanticized the anecdote, and I don't know if Teague is a fan of The Doors, yet one part of that story is true: EnergyX got kicked off of Bolivia's DLE tender for submitting 10 minutes late. 

I wouldn't allow myself to joke about it if Teague wasn't seeing the positives in it: EnergyX leverages 60 patents across the lithium value chain, and they've leveraged Bolivia and Uyuni as a great proof of concept! Their technology suit stands the field test, and they're able to produce lithium in a country that maybe boasts the World's largest lithium reserves, but also a quite demanding 25 to 1 magnesium to lithium ratio that defeated many challengers in that race to get Bolivia's white oil off the ground.

In today's conversation, you'll get to explore how a Direct Lithium Extraction pure player builds its path to a future EV supply chain vertical, how there may be bumps on the road, but also how exciting it is to move an Idea from the lab to a pilot then a demonstration stage and down the line, a first commercial reference. 

You'll hear of the lithium godfather and Nobel Prize recipient, John Goodenough, which is the second Nobel Prize winner we get to hear in this lithium series after Barry Sharpless that collaborated with Standard Lithium; you'll understand how an investment fund committed 450 million dollars on EnergyX and how Teague won his crown as Shale Magazine named him the Lithium King. 

➡️ Check out the entire article on how the Lithium King got 60 patents  for its battery vertical pure player, including a teaser, a slider, and a full transcript on the (don't) Waste Water website!

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with 🎙️ Jim Rieke - VP of Process Engineering at Veolia Water Technologies 

💧 Veolia Water Technologies specializes in water treatment solutions while providing a complete range of services for industrial & public authorities

What we covered:

👷 How HPD onboards all its hires through its service and commissioning groups and how that's the best learning experience to Veolia Water Technologies' portfolio 

🤝 How the milestone Naraha Lithium Refinery reference started through a collaboration between Orocobre (now, Allkem) and HPD and what was the step by step road to success 

🚢 What's the magic that turns Lithium Carbonate in South America into Lithium Hydroxide Monohydrate in Japan 

🧩 How there might be standard building blocks but how every lithium carbonate is slightly different and hence requires a tailor-made lithium refining process 

🏭 Where do impurities appear in a lithium refinery process and how to remove them to guarantee a battery-grade output 

🧰 How extracting lithium from clay is still a very new process and what it changes in the lithium refinery set up 

🛠️ How Veolia Water Technologies' holistic approach is a key differentiator in the development of a lithium refinery 

🌍 How geopolitics and government incentives play a role in the economics of a lithium refinery 

👰 How the newly wed SUEZ and Veolia offer an even broader portfolio of complimentary technologies to better serve the lithium market 

📈 How DLE "suddenly" makes much more lithium available and how HPD's lithium refinery process copes with the source's specificities 

♻️ How batter-grade lithium is just one of the outputs of a lithium refinery: Veolia Water Technologies' expertise also allows to valorize several more by-products along the way 

💰 How Veolia Water Technologies' involvement in projects can help get junior lithium companies get financed as a valuable reference partner 

🗺️ Building a Lithium Refinery step by step; leaching, evaporation, crystallization, ion exchange: the lithium refinery keywords; lithium refining in the broader scheme of the EV battery vertical; turning sodium sulfate into sodium hydroxide and sulfuric acid; empowering circularity... and much more!

🔥 ... and of course, we concluded with the 𝙧𝙖𝙥𝙞𝙙 𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚 𝙦𝙪𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣𝙨 🔥

🔗 Come say hi to Jim on Linkedin  

🔗 Check Veolia's website 

➡️ Check out the entire article on How 'Reverse ZLD' made the World's Largest Water Company a Lithium Refinery Expert 

➡️ Reach out to me: [email protected] 

More episodes in this Series:

1 - Why Water Technologies Matter in Lithium Mining (And Why You Should Buy Now!)

2 - The Shocking Requirements of Spodumene Processing (and other Lithium 101 stories)

3 - Standard Lithium's 10 Simple Secrets to DLE Success (and how that rolls out in El Dorado)

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Jim RIeke is Vice President of Process Engineering at Veolia Water Technologies. Within the Veolia Galaxy, we focus today on HPD: Large-scale, highly-integrated process solutions utilizing evaporation, crystallization, and more.

If you recall what Tony Strobbe shared on this microphone a couple of weeks ago: "if you ship spodumene concentrate across the ocean, you ship 6% what you want, and 94% what you don't want."

6% is the highest you will get in lithium from hard rock, after onsite concentration from the natural 1.5% lithium content in the best spodumenes. 

To get to the battery grade 99.95%, you hence need to refine that lithium, a quite specific and key process along the EV material supply chain, in which HPD specializes - in a way Jim will explain in a minute.

That said specialization doesn't stop at lithium from hard rock, though, as we'll discover with use cases from clay, Direct Lithium Extraction, and maybe the most spectacular example, with Veolia's latest reference in refining lithium from evaporation ponds.

The way these projects are built is quite revealing of the pace of this sector as well, as Jim will describe how it can sometimes take up to seven years to freeze the process design. It's also a fascinating blueprint for circular economy and resource recovery, as by-products can be upcycled and sometimes even directly used again in the refining process. 

From a business perspective, it's also an interesting configuration at the edges of the traditional EPC approach, an integrator path, and sometimes a service and operation play. 

Wanna get how a 200-headcount division of a Water Giant became a leading lithium refining actor? Then you're at the right place

➡️ Check out the entire article on how 'reverse ZLD' perfectly defines the Lithium Refinery process including a teaser, a slider, and a full transcript on the (don't) Waste Water website!

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