ACWA Power plans 3 new desalination projects in 2023

a desalination project of ACWA Power

ACWA Power Co. is expected to add at least three more projects to its desalination portfolio in 2023, increasing its production capacity by up to 15%, the company said in a statement.   

The firm added new production capacities of up to 2.4 million cubic meters per day of desalinated water through four reverse osmosis megaprojects in 2022, the statement added. 

This increase is the largest annual addition in the field of desalinated water production in the company’s history, bringing the capacity to 6.4 million cubic meters across 16 projects in four countries. 

Kashif Rana, Chief Portfolio Management Officer at ACWA Power, noted that despite geopolitical challenges and cost pressures to provide desalinated water that the world witnessed in 2022, the company succeeded in expanding its portfolio of desalination projects by more than 30%. 

He added that the company uses reverse osmosis technology in all projects, which is up to 80% more energy efficient, compared to traditional thermal desalination technology.  

In addition, these projects produce water at less than $0.50 per cubic meter, which is up to three-quarters lower than the tariff of $2 per cubic meter just a few years ago.