The research team led by Zhang Xuan, a professor at the Nanjing University of Science and Technology, developed the polyester reverse osmosis membrane, which overcame several limitations of mainstream commercial polyamide membranes, providing a new solution for the next generation of seawater desalination technology.
Currently having 9 seawater desalination stations operational or under construction, Morocco will launch, in 2023, work on three new infrastructures on the Atlantic coast. According to recent statements from Nizar Baraka, Casablanca, El Jadida and Safi will soon have their stations. The goal is to achieve production of one billion cubic meters by 2030.
This approach is part of the sultanate’s national energy strategy, which plans to increase the share of renewables to 30% of its electricity consumption by 2030. The installation will include more than 32,000 high-efficiency panels and will use an innovative east-west tracking system to optimize energy production. It will cover an area of 130,000 square meters, the equivalent of approximately 18 football fields.
Barcelona uses a water desalination and filtration system to meet its water needs. Reservoirs serving 6 million people in central and northern Catalonia, including Barcelona, are only at 18% of capacity.
A 33.5-kilometre pipeline will convey drinking water produced by the plant to Wanneroo Reservoir for supply into Perth’s Integrated Water Supply Scheme.
The project is set to include built-up, vegetated sand dunes on the western side of Alkimos Water Precinct.
The 250l/s reverse osmosis plant went to a consortium comprising La Peninsular Compañía Constructora and Acciona Agua, which has a 25-year concession to design, build and operate it. Another contract for the integral improvement of the distribution system went to a consortium comprising FCC Aqualia and Aqualia México for 1.3bn pesos, which now holds a 10-year concession to improve, operate and maintain the system.
The plant is commissioned by Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) and ACWA Power and will cost US $320 million. It will be the second largest desalination plant based on reverse osmosis (RO) technology in the world, and the largest desalination plant powered by solar energy.
The Delta Station project is a monumental endeavor in the agricultural sector, focusing on waterways and sewage in the Hamam area on the northern coast. With a capacity of 7.5 million cubic meters of water continuously utilized for Egypt’s security, agricultural runoff in the northern Delta will be collected and transported to the sewage water station through a 120-kilometer-long pipeline.
ACCIONA along with its Consortium Partner Sepco 3 and in close cooperation with Al Jubail International Water Company and the Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC), has already started up the desalination plant Jubail 3B energizing the facility by switching on the power transformers and its downstream switchgears.
A non-profit organisation, XPRIZE designs and hosts public competitions intended to encourage technological development. With US$119m in the prize pot, competing teams have been tasked to develop new desalination methods and materials that can produce clean water more sustainably and affordably.