Australian desalination centre starts new funding round

The Australian National Centre for Excellence in Desalination (NCED) announced on 29 November 2011 that its fourth funding round is now open for expressions of interest (EOIs) from participating organisations.

Unlike earlier funding rounds, which sought research on any topic on the Australian Desalination Research Roadmap, this third funding round is primarily seeking projects targeted at gaps in the roadmap topics, and projects addressing specific needs raised by industry:

  • Operational optimisation, eg long-term improvement of desalination performance.
  • Novel zero liquid discharge processes, eg concentrate minimisation.
  • Novel technologies including those for direct agricultural use, eg reverse osmosis in novel food production applications such as grains and horticulture with consideration of the food-energy-water nexus; and treatment of difficult water in a mining or industrial context.
  • Coupling water production with renewable energy.
  • Piloting breakthrough near-commercial desalination technologies in real-world situations, eg novel and disruptive applied technologies.
  • Total life-cycle analysis and sustainability assessment of desalination against other water sources, eg economic analysis of seawater reverse-osmosis operation and integration with traditional water supply.
  • Non-member organisations wishing to participate in the funding round are encouraged to contact the centre for information on how to get involved.

    The EOI form and funding guidelines are available for download on the NCED website. Completed EOIs must be submitted by 23 January 2012.

    The centre’s research activity is funded under the Australian Government’s Water for the Future program.