Greendustrial Dialogues India: holistic approach adapted locally

Together with the German-Indian Chamber of Commerce (AHK India) as local project partner, the Greendustrial Dialogues India took place in Chennai from January 23 to 24, 2023.

Represetntatives from GWP, GTAI and the Indo-German Chamber of Commerce (c) GWP 2023

Based on the Industrial Water Compendium, the Greendustrial Dialogues bring German companies in the industrial water sector together with users in the target markets. The Greendustrial Dialogues Egypt last October marked the start of the event series, which has now been continued in Chennai, India in January 2023. The two-day event will focus on strengthening a holistic approach to thinking about industrial wastewater treatment.

German companies presented the efficiency and flexibility of the German water and wastewater industry in Chennai as a consortium: In an exchange with representatives of the local industry, current challenges were discussed and solutions for the various industrial sectors were jointly developed.

Podium of the conference, left to right: Peter Hartwig (CEO at aqua consult Ingenieur Gmbh), Fabian Fischer (Advisor at GWP), Supriya Sahu (Add. Head Secretary at the Department for Environmental Protection, Climate Change and Forests of the Government Tamil Nadu), Michaela Küchler (Consul General), Mallikajurna Shivasharanappa (Regional Director AHK India) (c) GWP 2023.

Consul General Michaela Küchler opened the two-day conference with a welcome address in which she praised: “Treatment of industrial wastewater is crucial to ensure safe, clean drinking water and a healthy environment. It is a good sign that the government of Tamil Nadu and industry from India and Germany are meeting for Greendustrial Dialogues India 2023 to discuss how to advance industrial wastewater treatment through technology and innovation.”

Prof. Peter Hartwig, Managing Director of aqua consult Ingenieur GmbH, led the event, which included presentations by Supriya Sahu, Principal Secretary, Government of Tamil Nadu, Department of Environment, Climate Change and Forests; Boris Axel, Director India GTAI; Almut Reichert, Federal Environment Agency; and Kirlosh Kumar, Executive Director, Chennai Metropolitan Water Supply and Sewerage Board, as well as a presentation of best practices in industrial water treatment by German company representatives and a matchmaking session between German companies and Indian partners.

GWP member presentation by Torsten Hackner, Head of Industry, HUBER SE (c) GWP 2023.

On the following day, the Indian and German participants worked together on solutions for the challenges and needs in India in three workshops on the topics “ZLD Challenges and Solutions”, “Digitalization in Water and Wastewater”, “ETP Operation – Energy Efficiency and Optimization”.

The Greendustrial Dialogues build on the findings of the Industrial Water Compendium, which GWP produced as part of the global project of the Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) in support of the Environmental Protection Export Initiative of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV). The Greendustrial Dialogues are carried out by GWP under the leadership of the GWP Working Group Industrial Water Management in cooperation with the Regional Forum India and the Regional Forum North Africa and Jordan. They are part of the Export Initiative for Environmental Protection (ExI), funded by the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation, Nuclear Safety and Consumer Protection (BMUV).

Further information on the projects of the Export Initiative Environmental Protection of the BMUV at GWP: