IDA energy task force meeting in Abu Dhabi

The International Desalination Association (IDA) will convene the first meeting of its global Energy Task Force in conjunction with the International Water Summit, which takes place on 15-17 January 2013 in Abu Dhabi.

The goal of the task force is to achieve a 20% reduction in energy consumption in all major seawater desalination processes by 2015.

The meeting will be held on the afternoon of 15 January at the Capital Gate Hyatt in Abu Dhabi. Its agenda is to create a framework that will encourage and promote strategies to further enhance energy efficiency in desalination processes.

As a result of the meeting, the task force will focus on establishing existing energy requirements, outlining specific targets for each process and support and build on existing initiatives by developing guidelines for energy reduction. The task force will also encourage members of the desalination industry to develop pilot and demonstration plants designed to meet the stated targets.

The task force comprises a network of experts from around the world, representing utilities (end-users), suppliers, consultants, research & development institutions and academia, as well as IDA’s Technical Programs Committee. Its members are:

· Ahmed Al Mudaiheem, consultant and IDA director
· Eng Zamzam Al Rakaf, deputy chief engineer, director of design in desalination projects, Ministry of Electricity & Water, Kuwait, and IDA director
· Michel Canet, executive vice president of Major Projects Group, Veolia Water Solutions & Technologies, and IDA treasurer/director
· Eng Houmood El Anizi, Kuwait
· Chip Harris, chief technical officer, Aqualyng Holding AS
· Khoo Teng Chye, executive director of the Centre for Liveable Cities, Ministry of National Development, Singapore, and IDA director
· Chew Men Leong, chief executive, PUB, Singapore
· Prof John H Lienhard V, executive officer of the Center for Clean Energy & Water at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, and King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia
· Neil Palmer, chief executive officer of the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination, Western Australia, and IDA director
· Miguel Angel Sanz, director development and innovation – BL Iberia, Africa & Latin America, Degrémont, and IDA director,
· Dr Andrew Shapiro, principal engineer, GE Global Research
· Prof Dr Gary Amy, director desalination and Water Reuse Center, King Abdullah University of Science & Technology, Saudi Arabia
· Dr Richard Stover, executive vice president, Desalitech Ltd, and IDA director.

In addition to the task force members, IDA has invited to the meeting a number of observers who can contribute to the discussion.

The task force was launched in early 2012 at the 6th World Water Forum held in Marseille, where reception for this program exceeded expectations, according to Leon Awerbuch, chairman of IDA’s Energy Task Force Steering Committee.