A new research report, "Technologies Turn Waste Into Profit," estimates that with advancing technology, the opportunity for resource recovery from wastewater will grow from $28 billion today to $45 billion by 2020.

The report comes from Lux Research, a Boston-based firm focusing on strategic advice and intelligence related to emerging technologies. The report says technologies that recover energy from sludge show the most promise and are projected to account for 64 percent of the overall market by 2020. In evaluating technologies, the firm scored them on ten criteria related to technical merit and maturity.

Among the findings, the report concluded that improving biogas production from biosolids offers the greatest value. Relevant technologies include ultrasonic cavitation, mechanical disintegration, and thermal hydrolysis, which would enhance gas production by 40 to 50 percent.

Also promising was derivation of alternative fuels like syngas and biodiesel from biosolids, using techniques like gasification, pyrolysis, and supercritical water oxidation. While these methods have favorable energy balance and relatively low capital costs, they are equipment-intensive and not yet commercially mature.

Most nutrient and material recovery technologies face strong challenges because they rely on complex, high-energy processes, the report states. Find out more about Lux Research and its report at www.luxresearchinc.com.