A research contract to study seawater desalination using solar power was signed by Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, Masdar Institute of Science and Technology, GDF SUEZ and SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT in the presence of Ségolène Royal, French Minister of Ecology, Sustainable Development and Energy.
The contract will study the possible use of 100% solar power to desalinate seawater.
This project is part of a contract signed in June 2014 by the SUEZ ENVIRONNEMENT subsidiary Degrémont to construct a pilot seawater desalination plant potentially powered by 100% renewable energy and with minimal environmental impact.
Given heavy energy consumption involved in the desalination process, the use of solar energy to power seawater desalination plants is being seen as a major technical and economic challenge, even though over the past 15 years significant progress has been made in cutting the energy required in half.
The research contract signed today will be performed by “GDF SUEZ Lab Middle East, India & Africa” the new GDF SUEZ R&D laboratory at Abu Dhabi, supported by Laborelec and in collaboration with the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and Degrémont.
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