Look: Inside the world's biggest water desalination plants in Saudi

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Look: Inside the world's biggest water desalination plants in Saudi

Saudi Arabia produces the most amount of brine, at 22% of the world's total

Published: October 21, 2020 14:07 Reuters and Compiled by Devadasan K P, Picture Editor

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DESA 1-1603273918002 — General view of the world's largest desalination plant using modern hybrid desalination technology at the Saline Water Conversion Corporation's Ras al-Khair Power and Desalination Plant in Ras al-Khair, Saudi Arabia. The world's largest producer of desalinated water, Saudi Arabia also makes the most amount of waste from this energy-intensive industry; but local researchers are trying to change that. Image Credit: REUTERS

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DESA TEASER 2-1603273922273 — Ahmed al-Amoudi, head of a government-run desalination research institute, sees a future where industrially useful minerals such as sodium chloride salt, magnesium and calcium are extracted from the seawater alongside clean water, and no highly-salty wastewater - known as brine - flows back into the sea. "We can benefit from the sea and its treasures by the extraction of minerals," Amoudi said. Above, an employee stands next to a waste water collection pool at the world's largest water desalination plant at the Saline Water Conversion Corporation Ras Al-Khair Power and Desalination Plant in Ras al Khair. Image Credit: REUTERS

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DESA 3-1603273925700 — Amoudi works for the government's Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), which says it makes 69% of Saudi's desalinated water. Its researchers have filed several patents on technologies to extract minerals and other products, he said. An aim is also to reduce the amount of concentrated brine that flows back into the sea, which can affect marine ecosystems. Image Credit: VIA REUTERS

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DESA 4-1603273931023 — A 2019 United Nations-backed global study of the desalination industry found the world's around 16,000 plants produced on average 1.5 litres of brine for every litre of fresh water. Saudi Arabia produces the most amount of brine, at 22% of the world's total, the study said. Image Credit: REUTERS

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DESA 5-1603273933902 — At Al-Jubail, the world's largest desalination plant which makes more than 1.4 million cubic metres of water daily, treated waste brine plumes back into the Arabian Gulf. Image Credit: VIA REUTERS

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DESA 6-1603273937472 — An employee is seen at the pipeline control room of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation's Ras al-Khair Power and Desalination Plant in Ras al-Khair. Desalination is expensive and energy-intensive, but in hot, water-scarce climates like Saudi Arabia - with a population of 34 million - and neighbouring Gulf countries, it is relied upon. Image Credit: REUTERS

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DESA 7-1603273940973 — Employees walk towards the main headquarters of Saline Water Conversion Corporation's Ras al-Khair Power and Desalination Plant. Saudi's eastern coast not only hosts the record-breaking al-Jubail plant, but also the world's largest plant using more modern hybrid desalination technology, at Ras al-Khair. Image Credit: REUTERS

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DESA 8-1603273944278 — Engineers wearing masks are seen in front of the world's largest desalination plant using modern hybrid desalination technology at the Saline Water Conversion Corporation's Ras al-Khair Power and Desalination Plant in Ras al-Khair. Image Credit: REUTERS

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DESA 9-1603273947461 — These plants serve east coast cities and also pipe desalinated water 400km into the desert to the 7 million residents of the capital Riyadh. Image Credit: VIA REUTERS

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DESA 10-1603273951008 — Employees are seen at the pipeline control room of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation Ras Al-Khair Power and Desalination Plant. Image Credit: REUTERS

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