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Only around 2.5 per cent of the water on Earth is freshwater, which is what people need to drink.
But a large amount of this freshwater is hidden below and nearly 68.7 per cent is trapped in glaciers and ice caps, making it difficult to reach. Because of this, only around 1 per cent of the water on Earth is suitable for human usage. This covers the water in lakes, rivers, and the shallow subsurface.
Access to drinkable water is one of the planet’s biggest challenges and is an especially critical issue in the Middle East. In Saudi Arabia, water use efficiency is especially hard to address, with the Kingdom’s requirements growing annually at 7 per cent.
Expertise on desalination
The Gulf states have long grappled with the challenge of access to clean, safe, and sustainable water supplies, consequently desalination was introduced as a viable solution. It’s a process in which the region has become global experts, with about 70 per cent of Saudi Arabia’s drinking water coming from desalination, 90 per cent in Kuwait, 86 per cent in Oman, and 42 per cent in the UAE.
With the GCC countries accounting for 40 per cent of the world’s desalinated water residential usage, it is anticipated that the desalinated production capacity of GCC countries will double by 2050. With many of the countries in the region pledging to Net Zero, it is vital that new assets being developed integrate renewable energy sources with advanced Reverse Osmosis (RO) technology to make desalination less energy-intensive, thus aligning with climate action objectives.
Low-carbon-intensive RO water desalination plants are between 80-90 per cent more efficient than traditional thermal desalination plants, enabling more than 85 per cent reductions in carbon emissions associated with water production.
Reverse Osmosis plants are what’s needed The Yanbu-4 plant in Saudi Arabia, for example, will include solar energy units generating 11 MWp to reduce power consumption from the national electricity grid, while Saudi’s Jubail 3B desalination plant will have a 61MW capacity solar facility - the largest in-house solar capability for a desalination plant in the Kingdom.
The involvement of government entities lends stability and continuity to water supply, assuring private enterprises of a secure operating environment. This governmental commitment mitigates risks associated with regulatory uncertainties and instils confidence, encouraging private investment in desalination technologies and sustainable practices.
More private capital support
Beyond regulatory support, private companies such as Engie have the experience of navigating the complexities of large-scale desalination projects and bringing a financial dimension to the partnership table. Private capital mitigates the financial burden on governments while ensuring that projects are adequately funded to meet the demands of growing populations.
By embracing renewable energy sources like solar power and improving energy efficiency in desalination plants, the region minimizes the environmental impact of its water production processes. The global water crisis is intensifying and will continue, with the planet’s population increasing from 8 billion to 9.7 billion in 2050.
Governments and private companies worldwide should take inspiration from successful collaborations across the MENA region and cooperate in developing and implementing similar solutions tailored to their needs.
Our futures depend upon it…
