DUBAI: The Research and Development Centre of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) organised an intensive workshop in collaboration with Khalifa University of Science and Technology. The workshop showcased pioneering research and practical expertise from both parties in the fields of sustainable and efficient water desalination and network management. Researchers, professors and experts shed light on the latest advancements in water-energy nexus technologies that use renewable energy and reverse-osmosis (RO) technology for water desalination. This promotes the efficiency and sustainability of the water sector and reduces carbon emissions.
“We are committed to achieving the wise vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to foster the pioneering position of the UAE in increasing the share of clean and renewable energy and accelerating climate action. This also aligns with the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036. We are dedicated to increasing water desalination capacity using the latest and most efficient technologies to reduce carbon emissions. We foster research, knowledge exchange and collaborations to develop innovative solutions that enhance DEWA’s operations and services. The R&D Centre helps to achieve our goal of building water desalination plants using Sea Water Reverse Osmosis (SWRO) technology, which is more efficient and requires less energy than Multi-Stage Flash distillation (MSF) plants. This contributes to mitigate the effects of climate change. According to DEWA’s strategy, 100% of desalinated water will be produced by a clean energy mix that uses renewable energy and waste heat by 2030,” said HE Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, MD & CEO of DEWA.
“Investing in human capital and nurturing talent are essential to Khalifa University’s mission of contributing to advancing water security in the UAE. By fostering an environment of innovation and collaboration, we are equipping the country’s researchers and scientists with the skills needed to tackle pressing challenges in water management. As we strive to innovate ways to reduce demand for water resources and help enhance to increasing water desalination capacity using the latest technologies that mitigate carbon emissions. Khalifa University aims to cultivate a generation of skilled professionals who can lead transformative changes in this critical sector and contribute to fostering the UAE’s future resilience in water security. We are proud to be a strategic partner with DEWA to achieve 100% desalinated water through clean energy mix by 2030,” said His Excellency Prof. Ebrahim Al Hajri, President, Khalifa University.
Khalifa University has made significant strides in water treatment technology through innovative research in nanotechnology, having developed a graphene-based nanostructured membrane capable of filtering water, addressing the growing demand for clean water amidst environmental challenges. Additionally, advancements in solar vapor generation, are enabling the production of freshwater from seawater without harmful brine discharge.
The workshop focused on several key areas within the water sector. These include membrane processes at elevated temperature, the concentration of RO desalination brine using air-gap membrane distillation, a water transmission leakage-simulation facility enabled by the Internet of Things, the characterisation of the micro-structure of various fouling components in RO and membranes, fundamental results of using Optical coherence tomography (OCT)and digital image processing to monitor fouling, measures to enhance industrial RO efficiency, the development of bio-based anti-scalants and flocculating agents for RO, and the effects of electromagnetic field on scaling in membrane distillation. Additionally, researchers at the R&D Centre presented a project from the Tatweer Collaboration Programme. This initiative, launched by the Centre, aims to foster a culture of research and development among DEWA’s employees. The project focused on developing an alternative for the current metrics that are used in water desalination plant before RO to determine the causes of membrane pollution.
