NEOM Energy and Water Company has earned global
recognition, securing first runner-up in the prestigious Innovative Research
and Development Award (International Institutions category) at the fourth cycle
of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Global Water Award. The award honors
groundbreaking innovations aimed at tackling global water scarcity, with NEOM’s
pioneering membrane-based crystallization technology standing out for its
potential to recover freshwater and extract valuable minerals from brine with
high efficiency.
This recognition comes under the umbrella of
the Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum Global Initiatives and is supervised by the
UAE Water Aid Foundation. The award, valued at $1 million, celebrates research
institutions that develop scalable and sustainable solutions for water
scarcity, particularly through the use of renewable energy and cutting-edge
technologies.
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A Breakthrough in Water Recovery and Mineral
Extraction
NEOM’s innovative system represents a
significant leap forward in desalination technology. By replacing the
traditional, energy-intensive thermal evaporation methods with a membrane-based
approach, this technology offers substantial improvements in energy efficiency.
The system uses forward-osmosis principles combined with specially engineered
membranes to recover valuable minerals such as salt, lithium, and bromine,
while also desalinating seawater or brackish brine. Operating at just 7 kWh per
cubic meter, this system is a major improvement compared to the 75-80 kWh per
cubic meter required by conventional thermal methods.
The process begins with seawater reverse
osmosis, where chemically embedded membranes capture over 99% of the targeted
minerals. The brine is then passed through a two-stage brackish water reverse
osmosis system that concentrates and isolates the minerals to a purity of over 99.5%.
Pilot Plant Success
The technology was tested at the Duba Desalination
Plant in Saudi Arabia, where the pilot plant operates at a capacity of 1,200
cubic meters per day. The plant has demonstrated strong performance under
real-world conditions, achieving a Technology Readiness Level (TRL) of six.
This not only promises significant reductions in environmental impact and operating
costs but also opens the door to new opportunities in mineral recovery at
scale, potentially transforming the economics of desalination worldwide.
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Addressing Global Water Challenges
Dr. Noura
Chehab, head of the research and innovation team at the NEOM Water
Innovation Center, expressed the importance of this achievement:
“The global water crisis threatens health,
food security, and economic development. By investing in advanced water
technologies and fostering collaboration between governments, the private
sector, and innovators, we can create effective, sustainable solutions for the
billions of people affected.”
Dr. Nikolay
Voutchkov, executive director of the NEOM Water Innovation Center,
added:
“Receiving this award is a recognition of our
team’s years of hard work. It inspires us to continue advancing technologies
that maximize ocean water use and help address critical water challenges,
contributing to a more sustainable future.”
A Step Toward a Sustainable Water Future
NEOM’s
continued innovation in the water sector marks a significant milestone in the
quest for sustainable water solutions. As water scarcity becomes an
increasingly pressing global issue, technologies like these are poised to
redefine the future of water desalination, making it more efficient,
environmentally friendly, and economically viable for regions around the world.
Source: Arab News
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