The next International Desalination Association (IDA) Academy course, to be held at the International Water Summit in Abu Dhabi on 21‑22 January 2014 will feature Integration of Hybrid Technologies with Renewable Energy to Improve the Sustainability of Water Desalination and Sustainable Operation with Advanced Membrane Filtration.

The course provides an opportunity for managers, engineers and students in the desalination industry to expand their knowledge of hybrid technologies and plant operations, with a focus on renewable energy and sustainable operation of desalination plants using advanced membrane filtration.

The sessions also present a forum for networking with users and suppliers of desalination technology and for exchanging views on the future directions and opportunities in desalination in the Gulf Region.

The course will be presented by the following members of the IDA Desalination Academy faculty:

– Leon Awerbuch, chief technology officer of Leading Edge Technologies Ltd and interim dean of the IDA Desalination Academy will present the general concept of hybrid, hybrid system to stabilize water network, and hybrid and aquifer storage. Discussion will include benefits of hybrid systems in terms of CAPEX, OPEX and energy consumption.

– Dr Corrado Sommariva, past president of IDA and managing director of ILF Consulting Engineers Middle East and the head of the company’s worldwide desalination practice will cover new solutions, clean technologies with renewable energy, and energy efficiency activities associated with desalination plants with an exploration of low energy desalination processes including membrane distillation, forward osmosis, MED associated with solar distillation, and low temperature desalination.

– Dr Graeme K Pearce, principal of Membrane Consultancy Associates, will conduct a session on Sustainable Operation with Advanced Membrane Filtration (MF/UF), from fundamentals and process and system design to applications and performance along with an overview of market leaders, commercial products and recent developments.