KACST has launched the first phase of a national initiative for water desalination by solar energy

King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) has launched an initiative to desalinate water using the solar energy under the patronage of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin AbdulAziz and the participation of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of water & Electricity and the Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC).

At a press conference in Riyadh, Dr. Mohammed Ibrahim Al-Suwaiyel, KACST President said the Joint Search Centre for nanotechnologies opened in collaboration with IBM has been working on applying advanced nanotechnologies for solar power generation and in membranes used for desalination.

Desalination is Saudi Arabia’s strategic choice to secure drinking water supply with 18% of the global desalination capacity based in the kingdom. The KACST President said that the national initiative on solar desalination will seek ways to reduce the high energy costs involved in desalination through solar energy and thereby, reduce the cost of producing desalinated water.

Prince Dr. Turki Saud Mohammad Al Saud, KACST Vice President for Research Institutes said that KACST has been working for over three decades on R&D programmes to tap the solar potential in the Kingdom, estimated at 20,000 kilowatt per every square meter annually.

The National Initiative for Water Desalination using Solar energy would be executed on three phases over a period of nine years. The first phase targets the building of a 30,000 m3/day RO plant, powered by a 10MW solar plant to meet the drinking water needs of Khafji city. The first phase, which has commenced, will cover a period of three years. The second phase targets the construction of a 300,000m3/day desalination plant, again spread over three years; the third phase targets the construction of a number of solar energy-powered water desalination plants for all parts of the kingdom. The KACST Vice President also said KACST would own production rights that would be licensed to the others and marketed abroad.

Dr. Ibrahim Abdulaziz Ala'ssaf, Minister of Finance assured the ministry’s full support for the initiative.

Eng. Abdullah Alhusayyen, Minister of Water & Electricity and Chairman of the Board, SWCC, pointed out that demand for water and electricity in the kingdom is growing at seven per cent per annum, which is three times the population growth.

Dr Khalid Al Suleiman- Deputy Minister of Commerce and Industry said that the targeted cost of generating electricity by using the solar energy is within 30 Halala/KWh, while the current cost is four times the figure and will be an enormous achievement.

Mansour Al-Maiman, secretary general of the Public Investment Fund shed light on the role of the fund in supporting sectors whose nature of work requires large boosting.

Dr. Abdullah Abdulaziz Al-Sheikh, SWCC deputy-governor also attended the event.