• The 8th World Water Forum, organized by the World Water Council, will bring together public and private stakeholders and experts in the water sector (18-23rd March) • In the United States, one in every five dollars invested goes towards sustainable investments. Private investment is essential to deal with water challenges in agriculture, energy, human consumption and sanitation. • The inefficient management of water, poor filtration and pipe leaks account for a loss of almost 35% of all water globally, amounting to losses of USD 14 billion a year (The World Bank). • The use of successful digital technology, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Smart Data Analytics and Data as a Service (DAAS), can be applied to the water sector. These technologies can be used to optimize water management and sanitation or agriculture financing, in order to reach the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs).

New York, 15th March 2018 - The 8th World Water Forum, the worlds most important water-related event, is set to take place in Brasilia, Brazil, between 18th and 23rd March. The Forum, organized and founded by the World Water Council (WWC), works to promote awareness, build political commitment and trigger action on critical water issues and its sustainable management. This event will unite thousands of experts, companies and political and civil society representatives.

One of the main objectives of the Forum is to engage private stakeholders in solving water and climate challenges in a sustainable manner: something that is not only necessary, but becoming increasingly more common due to the appetite of investors. According to the SIF Foundation, one in every five dollars invested goes towards sustainable projects in the United States. The water sector and the sustainable economy include areas such as renewable energy, which are shaping up to be great investments for the future, with total investments having already reached over 350 billion dollars a year since the signing of the Paris Agreement. Following on from this, water, a key component in all life, goes beyond just sectors, and spans from agriculture to sanitation and energy, all of which depend on the vital liquid.
The World Water Forum is the perfect setting to develop synergies between stakeholders, investors, and companies from the various sectors which water unites, and to further share successful experiences between all. For example, leading digital technologies have revolutionized the renewable energy and asset management sectors, and could be of great use in the water sector. These include the Internet of Things (IoT), asset management techniques and advanced data analytics such as those used by Google, Facebook, Amazon, as well as Smart Data and DAAS Services, which spearhead the approach of the German duo SAP and Kaiserwetter. These techniques have maximized the output of solar and wind plants, making them both cheaper and more efficient.
SAP and Kaiserwetter, leader in the technical and financial asset management of renewable energy using Artificial Intelligence and the IoT, will be attending the 8th World Water Forum to share the story of their ARISTOTELES platform. This platform allows solar and wind plants to be more profitable, and can also be applied to optimizing and managing hydroelectric plants. This type of energy represents 54% of global renewable power, according to the REN21 study. In addition, according to LNS Research, 35% of energy production companies have already invested in the Industrial Internet of Things.
The know-how involved in renewable energy asset management can also aid sustainable agriculture through the use of intelligent water irrigation systems. These systems allow water to be saved (using localized and pressure drip irrigation, amongst other techniques), and leaks to be detected. This same methodology is now being applied to solar panels and wind turbines, to ascertain which may be underperforming. The World Bank calculated that around the world, between 25-35% of all water is lost due to leaks and bursts, which accounts for an annual loss of over 14 billion USD.
Artificial Intelligence and new sensors can go even further: they can make climate predictions which allow the user to forecast and plan for the need for water irrigation or anticipate the need for financing in the case of disaster. They can also optimize the performance of publically financed companies or subcontractors in charge of sanitation in developing countries, which often struggle to be financially viable. In order to meet the Sustainable Development Goals on sanitation under current conditions, it would require 45 billion dollars of investment annually - five times more than the current level of investment. As a result, it is essential to reduce costs and increase efficiency via the implementation of new techniques.
The digitalization of water via intelligent sensors and software has already been applied in practical cases in both Europe and the United States, and has recently made its arrival in Latin America. The Latin America and Caribbean Water Centre is working with the Inter America Development Bank and other private companies in one of the first ‘digital water projects in New Leon, Mexico. This system, implemented in a state with seven dams, allows the measurement of the volume of water used by companies and their consumption of blue and green water, as well as providing information about sewage and detecting the chemical and biological compounds present in the water.
On the eve of the World Water Forum, the former Vice-President of the United States and environmental activist Al Gore has emphasized the importance of improved resource and natural element management, such as water and solar energy, in order to be energetically self-sufficient. "There is enough solar energy on Earth to be able to meet all of our energy needs for a whole year".

Interviews with Rodrigo Villamizar, Head of Strategy Americas and Ex-Minister of Energy of Colombia are available upon request.


About Kaiserwetter Energy Asset Management GmbH
Founded in 2012, Kaiserwetter is an independent and international service provider, dedicated to the management of renewable energy assets. Their range of services combines traditional, technical and commercial asset management with the digital integration of all processes and data. "Aristoteles", the innovative digital platform, aggregates and correlates all production-related and, crucially, financial data with the goals of maximizing asset performance of energy and minimising the risks of inversion.
The company offers its specialized services to investors of renewable energies such as investment funds, financial institutions and utility companies. Through these digital services, Kaiserwetter has positioned itself as a pioneer in a young market.
Kaiserwetter is responsible for 498 MW of power from wind and solar parks in four European countries. The company, with international presence, employees around 50 people, in offices in Hamburg, Madrid, Copenhagen and New York.
www.aristoteles.energy