Renewable Energy, Desalination

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Fifth project enters the Masdar trial

An ongoing energy efficiency trial, in Abu Dhabi, of four new desalination plant designs is to get a fifth participant.

Global green group seeks to carve carbon emissions out of desalination

The Global Clean Water Desalination Alliance - H₂0 minus CO₂ initiative, launched at the current climate talks in Paris, has called on its 17-nation membership to use clean energy to power new desalination plants. The call was part of the alliance's aim to tackle the water-energy nexus and climate change.

Oman funds renewable desalination research

Oman has approved funding for research into harnessing renewable energy sources for water desalination in the sultanate.

Masdar city, Masdar Institute, Laborelec, and Degrémont to collaborate in renewable-powered desalination project

Abu Dhabi university, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, has unveiled recently its research collaboration with three leading energy and clean technology corporations in a research project supporting the development of a full-scale, completely solar-powered, seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Renewables advocate takes chair in desalination at Murdoch University

Murdoch University's School of Engineering and IT has appointed Professor Wendell Ela as the inaugural chair of desalination and water treatment. He is an advocate of the use of renewable energy for desalination and has developed small solar desalination systems for remote Navajo communities in USA.

Degremont chooses Dow for green reverse osmosis pilot

Suez Envionnement water treatment subsidiary, Degremont Technologies, has selected Dow Water and Process Solutions to supply ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis membranes for a pilot desalination project in Abu Dhabi, in partnership with renewable energy company Masdar.

EDS publishes June solar desalination course program

The European Desalination Society (EDS) has published the program for its three-day intensive course on Desalination With Solar Energy to be held in Almeria, Spain, on 11‑13 June 2014.

Sanz and Awerbuch to lead IDA WEX sessions

The International Desalination Association (IDA) has released details of the two desalination sessions it is organizing as a Support Partner for WEX Global - the Water and Energy Exchange in Madrid.

EDS unveils course on desalination and renewable energy

The European Desalination Society (EDA) has announced a four‑day intensive course on Wind and Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Powered Desalination Systems (Reverse Osmosis and Electrodialysis Reversal) to be held in the Canary Islands.

Pacific Institute reports on desalination energy use

The Pacific Institute has published the next instalment of its series on Key Issues For Seawater Desalination in California, this time looking at energy requirements and associated greenhouse gas emissions for desalinated water.

RFP to follow UAE renewable-energy desalination launch

A pilot program to test and develop advanced energy-efficient seawater desalination technologies that could be powered by renewable energy sources was launched on 17 January 2013 by Masdar, the UAE renewable energy company.

Wave energy for Perth southern desalination plant?

Australian wave-energy developer Carnegie Wave Energy Ltd (CWE) announced on 5 July 2012 that it had been advised by West Australia's Water Corporation that it wished to move forward on discussions for up to 2MW of renewable energy supply for the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant on an exclusive basis.

Chinese desalination import ratio to fall, says report

Localisation of desalination products and systems in China is targeted to rise from 60% to 90% by 2020, according to market researchers Frost & Sullivan.

Desalination/reuse in UK/Israel water agreement

Desalination, water reuse and use of renewable energy in desalination and water reclamation were included in an agreement signed on 21 December 2011 between British Water, which represents the UK water industry supply chain, and MATIMOP, the Israeli Industry Centre for Research & Development.

Grant for Texas pilot wind-powered desalination plant

The Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA) has made a US$ 2.75 million grant to Mitchell County, Texas, towards a US$ 8 million pilot project to use wind power for a brackish-water desalination project.

Acciona to supply renewable energy to Acuamed desalination plants

Spanish company Acciona has received a contract to supply power to all the desalination and water treatment plants and other installations in Spain managed by the government agency Aguas de las Cuencas Mediterraneas (Acuamed).

EDS promotes learning on desalination and renewable energy

The European Desalination Society is promoting two sets of courses looking at desalination using renewable energies.

Renewable-energy desalination community seeks to start association

The renewable-energy (RE) desalination community should organize itself into a body that will represent the sector and lobby for its interests, says a new report.

Siemens signs wind desalination MoU in Australia

Siemens Australia has announced a partnership with Windesal, a South Australia company using technology designed in Denmark, to develop clean technologies and wind-powered desalination plants.

New South Wales premier switches on Sydney desalination plant

Sydney's seawater reverse-osmosis desalination plant was switched on by New South Wales premier Kristina Keneally on 28 January 2008, providing water to meet up to 15% of Sydney's water needs.

Acuamed desalination plants to use renewable energy

All the desalination plants owned by Acuamed, the Spanish water supplier, as well as distribution networks and company offices, will be run on renewable energy, the company announced on 22 December 2009.

European desalination conference program published

The full programme for the European Desalination Society's conference and exhibition in Baden Baden, Germany, on 17-20 May 2009 is now available.

Masdar green desalination competition kicks off

All four participants in the competition to develop sustainable means to meet the United Arab Emirates' potable water demand have begun operating small-scale experimental desalination plants at a pilot facility set up by the competition organizer, Masdar, in Abu Dhabi.

IDE to design PRO power-generation pilot in Norway

The Norwegian renewable-energy company Statkraft has made an agreement for IDE Technologies to design and later purchase and construct a 2 MW osmotic power-generation pilot plant in close cooperation with Statkraft.

Canada/Norway study of pretreatment for osmotic power

Pretreatment of fresh water for an osmotic power plant is to be studied by Canada's Hydro-Quebec as part of a three-year agreement with Norway's Statkraft to speed up the development of osmotic power.

Bidding for largest solar desalination plant opens soon

Tenders for the world's largest solar-powered seawater desalination plant in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE, will be invited next month by utility company Utico Middle East.

Detailed design finished for wave-energy desalination

Australian wave-energy developer Carnegie Wave Energy Ltd announced on 31 October 2013 the completion of the detailed design of its wave‑powered desalination pilot plant.



Desalination capacity increasing by 50% in 2013 says IDA

Desalination plants with a total capacity of 6 million m³/d are expected to come on line during 2013, a 50% increase on 2012, according to new data from the International Desalination Association and GWI DesalData.

Solar/MED design aims to desalinate CSG water

A three-way partnership in Australia has entered a solar-powered desalination system for the coal‑seam gas (CSG) industry into the Australian Innovation Challenge being run by Shell and The Australian newspaper.

Saudi solar desalination push nears end of Phase 1

The first of three phases of the King Abdullah Initiative for Solar Water Desalination is expected to be operational by the end of this year, according to reports from Saudi Arabia.

Water Corporation cooperates on wave-energy desalination

Western Australia's Water Corporation has signed a cooperation agreement to support the wave-powered seawater desalination pilot project proposed by Carnegie Wave Energy Ltd.

Experts urge Gulf investment in desalination energy efficiency

Two prominent water experts have urged Gulf Cooperation Council utility providers and businesses to invest in energy efficient desalination to reduce the technology's carbon footprint and high power costs.

MEDRC announces solar desalination course

The Middle East Desalination Research Center is to hold a course on Solar Desalination in October 2013 at its Muscat, Oman, training facility.

Abengoa signs world first large renewable desalination plant deal

Saudi-based water treatment specialist, Advanced Water Technologies (AWT) has appointed Spanish conglomerate, Abengoa, as its partner in the development of the world's first, large-scale desalination plant to be powered by solar energy.

Chilean solar desalination demo precurses pilot project

A demonstration solar-powered desalination plant was installed in mid‑March 2013 in Arica, Chile, by Fundación Chile, in advance of a pilot project for irrigation purposes.

Australian wave-energy desalination pilot to get funding

Australia's Carnegie Wave Energy announced on 28 February 2013 that it had received a government grant of Aus$ 1.27 million (US$ 1.30 million) to support a wave-powered seawater desalination demonstration project.

Pipeline could rein in Emirates' desalination investment

A giant pipeline between Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) could stem the Middle Eastern states' investment in desalination according to an Emirates businessman.

Timeline established for IDA desalination energy guide

The International Desalination Association (IDA) has established a timeline for producing its guidelines for reducing energy consumption in desalination ending at its 2015 World Congress.

Desalitech lands US$ 11 million in venture capital funding

US desalination firm Desalitech has landed US$ 11 million in venture capital from existing investor, Liberation Capital, along with AquAgro Fund. The money will help Desalitech expand sales of its water purification products, the company said.

EU to support saline-aquifer desalination in Djibouti

A 22,500 m³/d brackish-water desalination plant, expandable to double that size and powered by renewable energy, is to be built in the East African state of Djibouti with support from the European Union (EU).

Australian SWRO firm signs MoU for Saudi pilot

Australian desalination start-up Water Resources Group (WRG) announced on 4 December 2012 that its subsidiary Water Resources International (WRI) had signed a memorandum of understanding with Knowledge Industry Company (KIC) of Saudi Arabia.

HTI's Lambert gets IDE Americas command

Desalination contractor and system provider IDE Technologies Ltd announced on 12 September 2012 the appointment of Mark Lambert as chief executive officer of IDE Americas.

Solar still v RO comparison for S Australia desalination

A full solar distillation plant was compared with reverse osmosis (RO) for a small groundwater desalination project in South Australia and RO was chosen as the preferred option.

NCEDA's CEO attacks east-coast desalination critics

As Perth, on Australia's west coast, experiences its driest July on record, the CEO of the National Centre of Excellence in Desalination Australia (NCEDA), Neil Palmer, has taken on the media and politicians on the country's east coast over the recent spending on desalination.

Veolia tops targets in Masdar desalination pilot programme

Interim findings by engineering giant, Veolia, from trials designed to up efficiency and develop renewable energy-driven desalination have already outstripped energy reduction targets the company has reported.

Santa Cruz desalination EIR delayed until fall

The environmental impact report (EIR) for the proposed 2.5 MGD (9,500 m³/d) desalination plant (scwd²) for Santa Cruz, California, will not now be published until fall 2012.

IDA launches Energy Task Force in Marseille

The International Desalination Association (IDA) has formed a global Energy Task Force whose goal is to achieve a 20% reduction in energy consumption in all major seawater desalination processes by 2015.

Australian island rigs up solar powered desalination

Rottnest Island, off the Western Australian coast, is constructing a solar power source for the island's population including its desalination plant.

Green energy firm plans frack water desalination

Australian renewable energy firm AGL plans to install a 2 Ml/d desalination plant to treat water produced during hydraulic fracturing (fracking) at its Gloucester coal-seam gas project.

Almogordo trial for commercial-size solar desalination still

Indiana-based Suns River is nearing completion of a commercial-sized solar still at the Brackish Groundwater National Desalination Research Facility in Almogordo, New Mexico, USA, following the issue of a patent on its process (US #8,088,257) on 3 January 2012.

Gulf should look to solar to power desalination expert says

The Abu Dhabi Environment Agency has called on Arab Gulf states to shift their focus to solar and other renewable energy when considering power for desalination.

Australia and NZ ferry RO units to Tuvalu

Australia and New Zealand are leading an urgent response to the drought currently afflicting the South Pacific islands of Tuvalu and Tokelau by transporting reverse-osmosis (RO) units to provide a water supply.

Egyptian solar desalination

The Egyptian Gazette reported on 22 September 2011 that Egypt's scientists have developed a solar-power based technology to reduce the cost of water desalination from LE 10 (US$ 1.67) to LE 4 ($0 67) per cubic metre.

Solar panels commissioned at UK desalination plant

Thames Water in the UK at the end of July commissioned a 450 kW array of solar panels at its 150,000 m³/d Beckton brackish-water desalination plant as part of a bid to become Britain's biggest on-site solar power producer and industrial user.

Masdar picks four firms to test new desalination techniques

Abu Dhabi clean energy company, Masdar, has selected four international water technology firms to test techniques that could reduce the energy intensity of desalination and lead to a large renewably powered water purification station.

Gulf nations poised for 40% boost to desalination output by 2020

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region is poised to up its seawater desalination capacity by nearly 40% by 2020 to meet the growing demand for drinking water, according to a recent report.

Samoa first to draw from Japanese solar/desalination fund

Samoa on 17 June 2011 became the first country to access a Japanese fund set up for solar power generation and seawater desalination or a combination of both.

Branson to address IDA Perth congress in September

Sir Richard Branson, famous for his achievements as an entrepreneur and founder of the international brand Virgin, is to be keynote speaker at the World Congress of the International Desalination Association in Perth.

More desalination and reuse potential in Western Australia

Western Australia's Water Corporation is considering up to three seawater reverse-osmosis desalination plants along the southern coast of its area, known as Lower Great Southern, as part of a potential portfolio of water resources for the next 30 years.

IDA releases more detail of Portofino conference

Abstracts of four "notable" papers for the the International Desalination Association's (IDA) Desalination Industry Action For Good conference in Portofino, Italy, in May were sent out by the association on 18 February 2011.

CDA/EDS seeking Qingdao desalination abstracts by 15 March

Abstracts for the 2011 Qingdao International Desalination Conference in China (20-23 June 2011) must received by 15 March 2011 with final papers by 10 May 2011.

Bahrain MoU signed for wind-powered desalination technology

Wind-powered desalination technology is to be promoted in Bahrain under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed on 31 January 2011 between Jade Consultancy of Bahrain and Synlift Systems GmbH of Germany.

URS to assist El Paso desalination solar project

The Public Services Board in El Paso, Texas, on 10 November 2010 voted to hire URS Corporation as a consultant to assist with the choice of a solar energy system to power part of the Kay Bailey Hutchison desalination plant.

Desalination quartet booked for Masdar pilot plants in UAE

Three major contractors in the global desalination business - Abengoa, Degrémont and Sidem/Veolia - together with forward-osmosis developer Trevi Systems, were awarded contracts on 5 May 2014 by Abu Dhabi's Masdar, to each start the construction of a 1,500 m³/d desalination plant as part of Masdar's pilot project announced in 2013.

Solar mobile desalination plant inaugurated in Egypt

The Egyptian State Information Service reported that a mobile water desalination plant powered by solar energy was inaugurated in Marsa Matrouh governorate on 18 April 2014.

IDA publishes program for Gulf desalination and environment seminar

The International Desalination Association has published details of program sessions and topics for its seminar on Desalination and the Gulf: The Relationship between the Environment and Meeting the Region's Water Needs, which will take place in Bahrain on 6-7 December 2010.

Twelve projects announced at Australian desalination centre opening

A project to apply wave energy to seawater desalination was one of 12 projects to receive awards from Australia's National Centre of Excellence in Desalination (NCED) and announced at the centre's opening on 23 July 2010.

Four-stage RO for London desalination plant

The UK's 150,000 m³/d Thames Gateway brackish-water reverse-osmosis (RO) desalination plant, which was opened by Queen Elizabeth's husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, on 2 June 2010, has a four-stage RO process.

Wave-powered desalination about to be installed

A company in Texas, USA, is preparing to demonstrate the use of desalination with the wave-power facility it is about to install in the Gulf of Mexico.

CONGRESS NEWS Desalination industry embraces conservation as vital ally

Desalination industry leaders this week declared emphatic support for the role of sustainable measures alongside advances in desalination to address growing water scarcity. Opening speakers at the IDA World Congress in San Diego emphasized the importance of conservation and water recycling in meeting an escalating global challenge from water scarcity.

India's BARC develops small solar RO and UF units

Domestic and community-level reverse-osmosis (RO) desalination units have been developed for producing safe drinking water by Saly T Panicker at the Desalination Division of India's Bhabha Atomic Research Centre.

Canadian low-energy desalination gets government boost

Saltworks Techologies Inc's low-energy desalination project is to receive up to Can$ 580,000 (US$ 577,000) from the Canadian government via Sustainable Development Technology Canada (SDTC).

Low-temperature distillation technology licensed to Sterling Water

The low-temperature distillation method of desalination developed by the New Mexico State University (NMSU) in the USA has been licensed to Sterling Water LLC of Qatar.

El Paso to explore solar power for desalination plant

The City of El Paso Public Service Board voted on 10 February 2010 to explore the possibility of using solar power at the Kay Bailey Hutchison desalination plant in Texas, USA.

Solar power installed soon for Nauru desalination plant

Singapore's Hitachi-Aquatech has awarded a contract to two New Zealand companies for a 131 kWp solar system to power a desalination plant for the Pacific island of Nauru.

Saudis launch national solar desalination initiative

The King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology announced on 24 January 2010 the launch of the National Initiative for Solar Water Desalination (NISWD) under the patronage of the King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.

Work starts on Queensland desalination plant

Preliminary work is beginning at the start of 2010 for a desalination plant to serve the Agnes Water and Seventeen Seventy communities in Queensland, Australia.

EDS launches 2014 desalination courses with Rome event

The European Desalination Society (EDS) kicks off a list of six events in its series of Master Courses with a three-day course in Rome, Italy, on Membrane Technology, Process & System Design on 3‑5 March 2014.

Queensland can use geothermal desalination says study

Queensland, Australia, has ample geothermal energy resources to power thermal desalination plants and provide clean water for small towns suffering from water shortages, according to The University of Queensland's Queensland Geothermal Energy Centre of Excellence.

Texas state funding wind-powered desalination pilots

The Texas Department of Rural Affairs (TDRA) is offering US$ 1.5 million to smaller local governments in the US state for brackish-water desalination demonstration projects using wind energy. Deadline for applications for the 2010 Desalination Fund is 29 January 2010.

Innovations in IDA Congress technical program

Round-table sessions and touch-screen availability of poster presentations will be used for the first time in the International Desalination Association's World Congress in Dubai on 7-12 November 2009, IDA announced on 19 October 2009.

Construction starts on Melbourne desalination plant

Construction started on 6 October 2009 on the Melbourne Desalination Project in Australia, which will provide up to 150 million m³ of water each year to the city from the end of 2011.

Second Perth desalination plant starts in three weeks

Less than a week after getting federal government clearance, the contract for the Southern Seawater Desalination Plant was signed on 30 June 2009.

Australia's desalination centre sited at Murdoch University

Australia's new National Centre of Excellence in Desalination is to be hosted by Murdoch University's Rockingham campus as a result of a Aus$ 20 million (US$ 15.5 million) award from the federal government.

Topics and presenters announced for IDA Academy course

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.

US bill seeks major desalination research expansion

US Senate hearings began on 10 March 2009 into a bill on the relationship between energy and water which could have wide implications for desalination research, both in the US and internationally.

ERI appoints two new directors

Energy Recovery Inc, the California-based desalination energy-recovery technology company, announced on 25 February 2009 the appointment of two new directors: Stanford University professor Dr M Elisabeth Pate-Cornell and Jackalyne Pfannenstiel, former chair of the California Energy Commission (CEC).

"We are selecting the best presentations from 323 abstracts"

Miguel Sanz, chair of the technical program for IDA World Congress 2017, introduces the main themes and highlights to look forward to at this year's event in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Low-grade waste heat holds promise for desalination

Low-grade, waste heat produced by industry may be applicable to distillation desalination to make fresh water where revere osmosis is not suitable according to findings by the University of Western Australia (UWA).

New water company Almar Water Solutions launched by former Abengoa CEO

Almar Water Solutions, a new water infrastructure development company led by former Abengoa chief executive Carlos Cosin, was launched at World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, January 2017.

IDA extends deadline for Congress submissions

The International Desalination Association (IDA) has extended the deadline for submitting abstracts for consideration in the technical programme for the 2017 IDA World Congress in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The new deadline is 11:59pm (EDT) next Tuesday, November 15, 2016.

Masdar desal pilot: the results so far

Masdar Clean Energy set a target for its pilot projects of one cubic metre of water for every 3.6 kilowatt hours of energy used. This is a particularly challenging target in the Persian Gulf, where salinity is very high, the water temperature is high, it's very shallow, and there's high organic matter.

Masdar's Dr Ritschel: "We identified a problem - tenders"

We launched The Global Clean Water Desalination Alliance at COP21, the United Nations' climate change conference in Paris, December 2015. In the first week of existence we already had 100 members. So many industry partners, governments, and stakeholders immediately wanted to join, it was unbelievable.

Interview: IDE Technologies CEO Avshalom Felber

Above all, IDE is a solutions provider. So says chief executive Avshalom Felber, the former financial whizz turned water industry leader, as he outlines the company's unique mix of thermal and reverse osmosis (RO) technologies, operational expertise, and contractual nous.

UK/Saudi initiative targets low-cost carbon neutral desalination using solar dome

NEOM has signed an agreement with UK-based Solar Water Plc to build the first ever "solar dome" desalination plants in NEOM, northwest Saudi Arabia. The pilot project claims it will revolutionise the water desalination process.

EDS publishes dates for 2013 courses

The European Desalination Society has published dates for two courses in the first half of 2013.

US National Alliance for Water Innovation selected to Lead Energy-Water Desalination Hub

The US Department of Energy has announced the selection of the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI) to lead its Energy-Water Desalination Hub, intended to tackle water security issues.

Waves to Water Prize targets ocean-powered desal

The US Department of Energy (DOE) has introduced the Waves to Water Prize for wave-powered desalination technologies and is seeking feedback on the initiative.

Solar and wind give competitive edge, says Acwa Power

Greater reliance on solar and wind power will support Acwa Power's future growth, president and chief executive Paddy Padmanathan has said.

IDA call for papers for Action4Good global conference

The International Desalination Association (IDA) has issued a call for papers for its Action4Good International Conference in May 2019.

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