Saudi-based Acwa Power, the world's largest private water desalination company and the first mover into green hydrogen, and a leader in energy transition, today (July 16) signed a MoU with Japanese technology provider Toray Industries, to explore energy-saving technologies for seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plants.

 

The agreement was signed on the sidelines of the Saudi-Japan Investment Roundtable organised by the Ministry of Investment, said a statement from Acwa Power. 

 

Under this MoU, the two companies will engage in joint research to reduce the energy consumption associated with membranes used in Acwa Power’s desalination plants.

 

Acwa Power will share operational details of its plants with Toray, allowing the latter to analyse and provide commercially viable solutions to improve energy efficiency, it stated. 

 

On the strategic agreement, Raad Al Saady, Vice Chairman and Managing Director of Acwa Power, said: "This collaboration with Toray contributes to our vision to improve the way energy is utilised in the desalination of water, and furthers our commitment to providing potable water to communities in a responsible, sustainable and cost-effective manner."

 

Since 2007, Acwa Power has utilised Toray’s advanced solutions in several projects. 

 

Currently, nearly 4 million cu m per day of desalinated water produced out of eight plants in Acwa Power’s portfolio deploys Toray’s reverse osmosis (RO) products, with another 1.3 million m3/day expected to be added once two other plants achieve commercial operation. 

 

The participation represents almost 20 per cent of Toray’s global market presence, it stated.

 

Kimio Kimura, President of Toray Membrane Middle East, said: "We are proud to support Acwa Power’s commitment to sustainability by jointly researching innovative ways to enhance the energy efficiency of membrane technologies, contributing to the overall sustainability objectives of both Acwa Power and Saudi Arabia."

 

"Toray is also involved in a joint venture called Toray Membrane Middle East alongside Saudi-based Abunayyan Holding, which will deliver the kingdom’s first RO membrane manufacturing plant in Dammam, scheduled to start operations in 2025," he added.-TradeArabia News Service