BlueNotes
Short on time, big on staying informed? BlueTech Research brings you BlueNotes, the podcast that makes knowledge bite-sized and easy to digest!
Join dynamic hosts Divya Inna and Rhys Owen for 10-minute conversations packed with insights on the latest breakthroughs in BlueTech. Listen while you commute, walk the dog, or unwind – it’s the perfect way to stay ahead of the curve without getting stuck to a screen. Subscribe now and unlock a smarter, more informed you!
Episodes
74 episodes
AI, acids and advanced materials science
After slow adoption and several defunct companies, with Aquatech acquiring Fluid Technology Solutions has forward osmosis finally found its technological niche? Why is Tesla/xAi presenting at Singapore Water Week? And how could reusing acids be...
Special: BlueTech Forum Ignite x Nike
Water is entering a phase where proven innovation is aligning with credible pathways to scale. How do technologies that have demonstrated success finally translate into repeatable, system-wide adoption? The shift is from isolated lighthouse pro...
Catalytic membranes, subsea Desalination, and the push toward integration
Subsea desalination and PFAS destruction are converging toward deployment, but both expose the same constraint: scaling promising physics into reliable infrastructure. Why are energy savings and destruction rates now credible, yet still insuffi...
Compliance gridlock in rapid microbial monitoring
Online microbial monitoring remains commercially stalled despite transformative performance gains. Why does a technology that compresses Legionella detection from ten days to four hours still sit at just $16–20 million annually within a $4–6 bi...
Electrifying chemistry: bipolar membranes, MD and what’s scaling now
Bipolar membranes are finally stepping out of the lab and into commercial relevance, reframing saline waste streams as feedstocks for on-site acid and base production (see the
PFAS pressure points and the membrane shake-up
The proposed EU PFAS ban is poised to reshape the membrane landscape, pulling PVDF into the regulatory crosshairs and forcing utilities, industrials and suppliers to rethink long-term planning. Rhys and Divya unpack what a universal restriction...
Ceramic cembranes, VBact innovation, and Xylem’s reset
This episode spotlights three themes driving BlueTech’s current research cycle. Rhys and Divya open with the momentum behind ceramic membranes, ahead of the 11 December web bri...
The quiet revolution in electrodialysis and lithium recovery
Electrodialysis is making a comeback. Once niche, ED and EDR are being reinvented with smarter membranes, modular stack designs, and solar-powered operation. BlueTech Analyst Dr. Vishal Wagholikar joins Rhys and Divya to explore how these innov...
WEFTEC Special
WEFTEC is where the future of water takes shape, and in this BlueNotes special, we cut through the noise. From the 281 submitted abstracts, our analysts have curated the top 60 that will define industry conversations this year: PFAS...
EDR, microfibers, and PFAS: signals to watch
Electrodialysis Reversal (EDR) is getting a second life. Once overshadowed by reverse osmosis, new designs, capacitive approaches, and ceramic membranes are opening doors in brackish desalination, food and beverage, and even lithium recovery. C...
PFAS sensing, Ecolab’s big bet and playmakers: the signals to watch
PFAS sensing is heating up—but still waiting for a true breakthrough. Dr. Kim Wu joins to explore a market set to hit $480M by 2026, with field-based sensors potentially swelling to $750M by 2030. Demand is surging, regulations are tightening, ...
Potable reuse goes global. And Political.
BlueTech's TAG expert Dr. Sebastien Tillman joins Rhys and Divya to unpack a wave of projects in places as unexpected as Belgium and the UK, challenging the “it rains here” mindset. The driver? Not just technology, but trust. Public outreach re...
BlueTech’s summer stack: from Unicorns to PFAS, Plasma and more
Autonomous water plants are here—and 49 of them are already running in China, serving 17 million people with no one on-site. Dr. Kim Wu unpacks this jaw-dropping stat and what it signals for digital twins, smart networks, and the new edg...
From CO₂ to CPUs: what net zero and AI are doing to water
Did you know there are at least 16 different ways to capture carbon—and some of them actually generate water? Others, however, could increase water consumption at power plants by up to 30%. In this episode, Rhys and Divya unpack the complex rel...
Water efficiency: the next frontier in cooling tech
Dr Vishal Wagholikar joins Rhys and Divya to break down findings from his new Horizon Scan on cooling technologies. As data centres grow more power-hungry, water use is emerging as a blind spot—and a growing concern. The ...
From PFAS to atmospheric water: industry shifts in January 2025
January 2025 brought significant changes to the water industry. From extreme weather events affecting Cork, Australia, and LA, to the EPA's withdrawal of proposed PFAS limits following the new Trump administration. Bluetech will host a press br...
The Last Drop of 2024: Blue Notes Into 2025’s Waters
In this finale episode, Rhys and Divya reflect on the year's achievements, including the launch of a Market-creating Legislation and Regulation Tracker and a review of photodynamic disinfection technology. They also delve into BlueTech's Top 10...
PFAS Destruction: Innovations and Insights from BlueTech’s Horizon Scan with Jacob Steele
In this special episode of the BlueNotes Podcast, hosts Rhys Owen and Divya Inna are joined by Jacob Steele, Senior Research Analyst and author of BlueTech’s latest Horizon Scan on PFAS Destruction Technologies
Green Chemistry and Ultrafiltration membranes in the Fast Lane
Green Chemistry takes center stage as Rhys and Divya dive into the world of sustainable chemical manufacturing and the importance of the 12 principles from the US EPA. Discover the challenges and potential of market adoption and the exciting de...
Top Picks and Trends from WEFTEC 2024
With WEFTEC a couple of weeks from now, hosts Divya Inna and Rhys Owen dive into the highly anticipated event, which is the largest water industry event in North America, taking place in New Orleans. Join them as they highlight BlueTech Researc...
The next wave: Earth Observation Science and the evolution of Brine Management & ZLD
Earth Observation Science (EOS) is a rapidly growing field, with applications ranging from water risk assessment to sustainability reporting. Satellite data can be used to monitor drought and flood risk, water quality, and leak detection. The m...
Lithium and hydrogen markets, thermal sludge treatment, and upcoming research
In this episode of the Blue Notes podcast, hosts Divya and Rhys discuss recent travels and conferences, including high-profile events on lithium and hydrogen. They delve into the lithium market and the technology breakthroughs in direct lithium...
BlueTech Forum 2024: Highlights and Reflections
In this episode of the Blue Notes podcast, the hosts, Rhys and Divya, begin with a discussion about recent technical hiccups Rhys faced and a brief update on Divya's camper van office situation due to a house move. They reflect on their experie...
