OMAN – The Oman Power and Water Procurement Company (OPWP) will soon develop a seawater desalination plant in the southern province of Dhofar.[1] The facility will be located in the city of Salalah and produce 100,000 cubic metres of water per day.[2] It is set to go online in 2022 as part of an ongoing initiative to nearly double the nation’s water supply between 2016 and 2023 (at a rate of 9 percent per year).
U.S.A. – Atmocean, Inc., a renewable energy company, utilizes hydro-power to provide reverse osmosis desalination systems. The California-based company creates ocean pumps that convert wave action into electricity—by sending pressurized water to onshore turbines which spin electrical generators.[3]
Atmocean has now developed a desalination system that consists of an array of pumps (60 metres x 60 metres) floating in the ocean.[4] “Each pump is a buoy on a piston,” as explained by Sandia Labs engineer Tim Koehler. “As a wave passes, the buoy ingests sea water, and as the buoy settles, it pumps seawater through hydraulic lines back to shore where it enters the zero-electricity desalination process.”[5]
Since its inception in 2006, the company has developed and honed its technology—winning several grants, completing 29 sea trials, and conducting 8 tests at university facilities in the U.S. and U.K.[6]
SINGAPORE – The Public Utilities Board has signed a memorandum of understanding with Saudi Arabia to implement an exchange of knowledge and expertise on matter pertaining to water supply, wastewater management, and innovation.[7] The collaboration will include focus on areas such as desalination technology and energy efficiency.
Officials from both governments as well as Saudi Arabia’s Saline Water Conversion Corporation and Western Australia’s Water Corporation will work together to develop this exchange.[8]
Credit: Desalination.biz
CHINA – According to China’s State Oceanic Administration, the country is producing 1.18 million cubic metres of desalinated water per day.[9] Roughly 66 percent of this water is produced for industrial purposes. And the largest facility of the nation’s 131 desalination plants generates 200,000 cubic metres of water per day.
[1] “Oman to build new desalination plant in Dhofar,” ConstructionWeekOnline.com, July 18, 2017, <http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-45431-oman-to-build-new-desalination-plant-in-dhofar/> accessed July 18, 2017.
[2] Ibid.
[3] “Company Overview of Atmocean, Inc.,” Bloomberg.com, <https://www.bloomberg.com/research/stocks/private/snapshot.asp?privcapid=128587630> accessed July 12, 2017.
[4] “Atmocean tests desalination system,” Filtration & Separation, July 19, 2017, <http://www.filtsep.com/view/46189/atmocean-tests-desalination-system/> accessed July 19, 2017.
[5] Ibid.
[6] “Current Undertakings,” Atmocean.com, < https://atmocean.com/press/> accessed July 19, 2017.
[7] “Singapore to Collaborate with Saudi Arabia on Desalination Knowledge Sharing,” Water World, July 18, 2017, <http://www.waterworld.com/articles/wwi/2017/07/singapore-to-collaborate-with-saudi-arabia-on-desalination-knowledge-sharing.html> accessed July 18, 2017.
[8] Ibid.
[9] <https://www.desalination.biz/news/0/China-publishes-details-of-countrys-desalination-capacity/8803/> accessed July 18, 2017.