SAUDI ARABIA – Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) has issued request for proposals (RFPs) for the Jubail 4 & 6 Independent Water Projects (IWP) with a combined capacity of 600,000 m3/day. The projects will utilize reverse osmosis seawater desalination technology and are expected to be operational in Q3 2027. The scope includes finance, development, operation, and maintenance of the seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant, located south of Jubail Industrial City in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Nine leading utility developers, including Taqa, Acciona Agua, ACWA Power, GS Inima, and others, have qualified for the project. The successful bidder will develop the project and sell the entire capacity to SWPC under a 25-year concession. KPMG, White & Case, and WSP are serving as financial, legal, and technical advisors, respectively. (Trade Arabia)
SAUDI ARABIA – The National Shipping Company of Saudi Arabia (Bahri) anticipates the commencement of initial and commercial operations for the first floating barges under its $203 million deal with the Saline Water Conversion Corporation in the second half of 2024. The contract involves three floating stations to supply and transfer desalinated water, with each station having a capacity of 50,000 cubic meters per day and a total capacity of 150,000 cubic meters a day. Located near the port of Al Shuqaiq on Saudi Arabia’s Western coast, the floating barges are currently undergoing testing and commissioning. The project faced delays due to prolonged environmental clearances for new infrastructure construction in Yanbu and changes in regulatory agencies. Bahri started trial commissioning in January 2022 and initially expected commissioning by Q4 2022, but the deadline was later extended to H2 2023. (ZAWYA)
PALESTINE – As part of the 'Gallant Knight 3' humanitarian operation, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) has started delivering drinking water produced by Emirati-built desalination plants in Rafah, Egypt, to shelters in the Gaza Strip. Inaugurated by Sheikh Shakhbout bin Nahyan, Minister of State, the expanded plants will provide 4,500 m3/d clean drinking water daily to Gazans. The desalination plants gather water from the Mediterranean Sea, filter it, and send it underground across the border to Gaza. Before the expansion, the plants had a total capacity of 2,250 m3/d, which has now been doubled. The UAE has also opened a warehouse in Al Arish, near Rafah, to stockpile aid, including nappies, blankets, canned foods, and electric heaters, for delivery to Gaza. The 'Gallant Knight 3' humanitarian operation, launched on November 5, 2023, focuses on providing humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people in Gaza. The successful completion of pumping desalinated water from the UAE's plants to Gaza followed the installation of a 900-meter pipeline. (ZAWYA)
A petty officer 3rd class posing in front of Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Bataan’s desalination system. Credit: U.S. Navy/Alisha Gleason
U.S.A. – The USS Bataan, a Wasp-class amphibious assault ship, utilizes a multi-stage flash distillation system to produce approximately 382 m3/d for its 4,000 Sailors and Marines. The desalination system can generate up to 7,570 m3/d but is currently strained due to high seawater temperatures. The system involves a series of stages, including heating seawater using steam, creating vapor through decreased pressure, and condensing vapor to produce fresh water. Despite the efficiency of the system, the high seawater temperatures result in reduced operational efficiency, around 75-80%. Sailors and Marines are urged to conserve water, as the ship is facing a deficit in water production. (DVIDS)
U.S.A. – Salgenx introduces the Solar PV Powered Ocean Powership, a groundbreaking innovation combining large-scale energy storage capabilities with simultaneous seawater desalination. Known as a power barge, this floating plant aims to provide rapid assistance during energy crises or in regions where land-based power plants are impractical. The Salgenx Powership addresses the issue of excess power waste in offshore wind energy by working in synergy with solar PV or wind energy. The dual-purpose Energy Storage System (ESS) is suitable for marine vessels, offering benefits such as marine transport, efficient power harvesting and storage, simultaneous desalination, utility islanding, and reduced CO2 capture in seawater. The Salgenx Powership represents a step towards a more sustainable and resilient future, addressing challenges of clean energy storage and water scarcity. (Newswires Ein)
OMAN – Oman has inaugurated one of the largest solar photovoltaic systems dedicated to powering a desalination plant, designed to produce over 30,000 megawatt-hours of electricity annually, catering to more than 30% of the plant's daily power needs. This move aligns with Oman's National Energy Strategy, aiming to transition 30% of its electricity to renewable sources by 2030. The project, by TotalEnergies, features over 32,000 high-efficiency panels and an advanced tracking system on a 130,000 m2 area. (BNN)