In the Middle East, desalination has become the most suitable solution for providing fresh water to serve the continuously growing population and ensure water security. As water desalination plants expand in the region, they are required to meet sustainable development goals. 

Contributing to Saudi Vision 2030 and the UN Sustainable Development Goals, King Abdullah University for Science and Technology (KAUST) inked four strategic project agreements with ACWA Power to drive greener desalination initiatives.

“This collaboration with ACWA Power will significantly impact the desalination sector. Our partnership will help the translation of academic research into demonstrable impact, leading to greener desalination at lower cost, contributing to the Kingdom’s water-secure future.“ said Prof. Johannes Vrouwenvelder, director of the water desalination and reuse center at KAUST.

Recent advancements in desalination technology can reduce costs while dramatically improving performance and reliability. Through modeling and artificial intelligence, KAUST and ACWA Power are interested in improving seawater desalination processes and better monitoring/predicting desalination plant operations. 

“The projects will demonstrate the potential of academia and business working in tandem to solve real-world challenges of bringing fresh water through desalination to communities and industries alike. We hope that our collaboration will directly result in the implementation of research-backed projects that deliver impact,” said Thomas Altmann, executive vice president of innovation and new technology at ACWA Power.

Fast Company’s World Changing Ideas comes to the Middle East on 23 November 2022. Click here to know more.