Desalination, An Existential Requirement In Region: Expert

Doha, Qatar: Desalination, a process of removing the minerals (mainly salt) from seawater through physical and chemical processes, has been termed an 'existential' requirement for Qatar and countries in the Gulf as a means to combat water challenges. GCC countries currently depend on desalination as a primary source of drinking water.

Speaking to the media on the sidelines of the third International conference on Sustainable Energy-Water-Environment Nexus in Desert Climates (ICSEWEN'23) hosted by Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), Mohammed A Ayoub, Senior Research Director and conference Co-Chair said while desalination is vital, there must be responsible ways to conduct the process and protect the environment.

“This (desalination) is a big part of the research that we do here. For us, desalination is not a luxury, it's an existential requirement -- it is a need for survival. We do not have a renewable source of fresh water in this country, so desalination is our only source,” Ayoub said.

“At the same time, we are responsible global citizens, and we understand that the carbon footprint and the impact of desalination technology is quite high. So, a big part of the research that we do is in reducing the impact of desalination not only concerning greenhouse gas emissions, but also environmental impacts,” he added.

The water desalination process is not impact-free because the by-product from the process is brine, wastewater with a high concentration of salt and pollutants. In many cases, this is discharged into the sea and affects ecosystems. Besides, there is also a risk of seepage that can contaminate coastal aquifers.

In terms of energy, many desalination processes require heating water, pressurising it, or both, entailing a high energy cost. However, many experts have proposed using renewable energy, such as solar, to reduce the consumption of desalination plants. Another sustainable desalination option is to use biotechnology by cultivating cyanobacteria capable of processing seawater, forming a low-salinity deposit around it.

According to Ayoub, there are multiple ways of making desalination sustainable, including cogeneration of water and energy by using the generated heat from energy production to assist with the desalination process and using technologies that require less energy.

“Usually, you have to heat the water -- so either you boil it and condense it or heat it for membrane desalination. We are looking at membrane technology that requires less energy input into the process, which will automatically hopefully reduce the greenhouse gas emissions associated with desalination. We also have to ensure proper waste management of the brine that results from the desalination process,” Ayoub said.

A 2019 United Nations-backed paper disclosed that 55% of global brine is produced in just four countries: Saudi Arabia (22%), UAE (20.2%), Kuwait (6.6%) and Qatar (5.8%). Middle Eastern plants primarily operate using seawater and thermal desalination technologies.

“Dumping that brine back into the sea increases the salinity of the Gulf and impacts the marine ecosystem. So, what are the solutions for potentially reusing that brine for other purposes? These are the areas we focus our research on,” Ayoud added.

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