The UAE is leading the region in establishing desalination plants with an investment value of Dh4.75 billion ($1.3 billion) in two facilities that use the reverse osmosis system, said a report by BNC, the research and business networking company.
 
These projects include Taweelah plant in Abu Dhabi, scheduled to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2022, and the plant at Jebel Ali in Dubai, scheduled to be completed by the second quarter of next year, stated the report issued ahead of a key industry summit. 
 
The Mena Desalination Projects conference will be held from March 10 to 11 under the theme "Evaluating Innovations in Desalination for Current & Future Projects” in Abu Dhabi.
 
The event will see a total of 30 speakers, 40 exhibitors from 40 countries and 300 desalination & technology experts, including 6 C level executives from key government entities.
 
These include Saline Water Conversion Company (Saudi Arabia), Department of Energy (UAE), Sharjah Water and Electricity Authority (Sewa), Holding Company for Water and Wastewater (Egypt), Water and Electricity Company (Saudi Arabia), Kuwait Ministry of Electricity and Water, Public Authority for Water and Electricity DIAM (Oman), in addition to top EPC contractors in the region,  Acwa Power, Acciona, GDF, Engie, Besix, and Abengoa. 
 
Also, a group of top consultants in the region such as Mott MacDonald, WS Atkins, Besix, Acciona Agua, Acwa Power, "For contracting, Axiona Aqua Middle East, AquaPower, DLA Piper, and other major players in the field.
 
The first edition of Mena Desalination Projects conference will be held at Jumeirah at Etihad Towers in the UAE capital as a milestone event in water desalination field, especially with billions of dollars’ worth projects that aim to adopt the latest environmentally friendly desalination methods.
 
The total value of investment in the top 10 water desalination plants being developed in the Mena region amounts to Dh19.3 billion, with a UAE share of Dh4.7 billion, while the Saudi Arabia's share amounts for Dh5.6 billion, Dh4 billion for Jordan, Dh1.84 billion for Oman, Dh1.83 billion Egypt, and Dh1.3 billion for Morocco.
 
Commenting on the event, Engineer Rashid Al Lim, the chairman of Sewa, highlighted the importance of the event hosted in Abu Dhabi, which comes at a time when there is a need for sustainable water sources to keep pace with expansion witnessed by the countries of the region and the UAE in particular, and the urgent desire to find innovative, economical and environmentally friendly means of water desalination, which is a challenge for governments and concerned international organizations.
 
"GCC countries have the highest global water desalination capacity of 81 per cent while running production of around 40 per cent of total world water desalination. This explains, on one hand, the development of 289 desalination plants on the shores of the Arabian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Arabian Sea.
 
The gathering of the sector’s big players to showcase their innovations to comfort water desalination capabilities and provided economic and eco-friendly impacts of this activity," he added.-TradeArabia News Service