Algaesys

Algaesys provides a circular economy solution for wastewater treatment, positioning itself as a technology developer and solutions provider that transforms wastewater from a costly liability into a source of valuable resources. The company was co-founded by John Fagan and James Lander, who have a long history of working together in the water and environmental sectors since 1996. Fagan, a chemical engineer with business and legal qualifications, and Lander, also a chemical engineer with extensive experience in business development, were motivated by the inertia in the conventional water industry. Fagan's idea to harness the power of algae, often seen as a sign of inadequate treatment, led to the development of their patented technology. The company, Algaesys SA, was founded in Portugal in March 2020, and in 2022, Algaesys Pty Ltd was established by Soner Bekir to serve the Australian, Asian, and New Zealand markets. The business was initially self-funded, with seed funding from an individual investor in 2022 facilitating the Australian expansion.

The core of the business is a patented, sun-powered wastewater treatment system that uses algae and other phototrophic organisms. This system is housed in a greenhouse, is a net oxygen producer, and has minimal odor. Unlike conventional methods that rely on energy-intensive aeration, Algaesys uses naturally occurring microorganisms that produce reactive oxygen species to break down pollutants. This process effectively removes nitrogen, phosphorus, heavy metals, and persistent organic chemicals like hormones and pharmaceuticals, while also disinfecting the water. The technology boasts significantly lower lifecycle costs, with up to 80-90% reductions in energy consumption and capital expenditures typically 75% of comparable systems. The business model is flexible, acting as a process contractor for developers, a main contractor for asset owners, or licensing the technology. They also offer after-sales operations and maintenance support. Revenue streams are generated from the sale and licensing of the technology, pre-purchase agreements for the recovered water, and the creation and trading of carbon credits.

Algaesys serves a wide range of clients, including small to medium-sized municipalities (200 to 20,000 people), industrial sectors like food and beverage processing, data centers, aquaculture, and commercial developments such as hospitality. For these clients, the system not only treats wastewater to a high standard for reuse but also produces valuable by-products. The biomass created during the process can be converted into bio-methane for energy, used as a soil conditioner, or developed into other bio-polymer materials. This turns a wastewater facility into a resource recovery center, providing clients with water and energy autonomy, reduced operational costs, and a path to meet ESG targets with a carbon-negative footprint. The company has proven its technology at full-scale over 10 years and has deployed systems in the U.S., Portugal, Australia, and the UK, with partnerships developing in the Middle East and Southeast Asia.

Keywords: wastewater resource recovery, circular economy water, algae wastewater treatment, phototrophic organism system, decentralized water treatment, carbon-negative sanitation, sustainable water management, nutrient recovery, bio-advanced oxidation, persistent organic chemical removal, low lifecycle cost water treatment, off-grid water systems, biomass valorization, bio-methane production, water reuse technology, industrial wastewater solutions, municipal water treatment, ESG water solutions, water resilience, food and beverage water treatment, data center water cooling, aquaculture water systems, circular water cities