Solar desal plant moves closer

摘要

A low-energy seawater desalination plant to be built in Abu Dhabi is set to pave the way for the prospect of desalination that can be fully powered by solar renewable energy. SUEZ has started work on the Masdar City pilot plant at a site in Ghantoot, 90 kilometres from Abu Dhabi in the UAE, with work expected to take 18 months. The plant - which will use Dow Water and Process Solutions' Ultrafiltration and Reverse Osmosis membrane technologies and ADIONICS liquid to liquid deionisation technology, is expected to achieve a new mark for low energy consumption in a desalination plant. In parallel, SUEZ is conducting studies with the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and ENGIE's technical competence centre Laborelec using solar power, in order to develop seawater desalination plants which can be fully powered by renewable energy.