SWCC-DTRI IS WORKING ON MANY INITIATIVES AND RESEARCH PROJECTS WITHIN THE KINGDOM'S EFFORTS TO REDUCE CARBON EMISSIONS

By Eng. Tariq Al-Ghafari, Deputy Governor for Research and Innovation and Project Execution, Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC)

SWCC-DTRI is working on many initiatives and research projects within the Kingdom's efforts to reduce carbon emissions and achieve the Kingdom's goals to reach carbon at neutrality. Pointing out that the Institute is currently working on implementing many projects to contribute to achieving the goals of carbon neutrality in the desalination industry.

The Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1974 to plan, construct, operate, and maintain seawater desalination plants, deliver product water to cities, and develop seawater desalination technologies. To achieve these goals, SWCC executed many water desalination projects. The Kingdom produces more than 7.7 million cubic meters of desalinated water per day. Currently, SWCC ranks as the world's largest producer of desalinated water, accounting for 11/ of the total desalinated water in the world.

SWCC aims to consolidate the natural water resource in various regions and cities of the Kingdom with severe freshwater shortages through desalination. In addition, the main strategic goal for implementing SWCC plans is to build several desalination plants and support facilities in regions suffering from scarcity of freshwater resources based on the outcomes of technical feasibility studies.

In 1974, SWCC established Desalination Technologies Research Institute (DTRI) in the exact location of its Al Jubail Power and Desalination plants. This landmark move recognized the complex nature of the desalination industry and its exponential growth in capacity. DTRI has a unique infrastructure and facilities; DTRI is considered a center of excellence, promoting the technological development of the desalination industry worldwide. SWCC relies heavily on DTRI's activities to support its desalination and power generation facilities. DTRI's activities are designed to ensure scientific excellence in the application of R&D, develop desalination technologies, and contribute to the Kingdom's innovations in desalination technology. DTRI has consistently played a pivotal role in serving

SWCC through its diverse R&D activities, which have greatly enhanced the sustainability of the desalination industry. DTRI has carried out numerous applied research projects to increase the cost-effectiveness of environmentally friendly desalination technologies. DTRI has also collaborated with SWCC desalination plants to optimize materials consumption and address operational problems, producing substantial financial savings.

DTRI activities contribute to the development of desalination technologies. The research efforts also include troubleshooting problems faced by desalination plants and evaluating and testing materials and equipment. The diverse range of research activities also includes analytical services that ensure the safety of product water in terms of chemical, microbial, and physical attributes that conform to drinking water quality standards. DTRI has published over 1o- research papers presented at Journals and conferences locally and internationally, earned 11, and won several national and international awards and prizes. In addition, DTRI has been engaged in collaborative R&D programs in seawater desalination with various national, regional, and international organizations, firms, and industries.