KAUST and ACWA Power have launched a Center of Excellence for Desalination and Solar Power following a memorandum of understanding signed on September 9. The collaboration aims to advance Saudi Arabia's position in water desalination and solar power technology. The center will focus on research in water quality monitoring and system performance modeling, leveraging KAUST's research centers. Why it matters: The partnership seeks to drive innovation and cost efficiencies in producing desalinated water and generating solar power, aligning with Saudi Arabia's sustainability goals.
KAUST has launched a Center of Excellence (CoE) for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies, chaired by Professor Husam Alshareef, to develop and deploy innovative renewable energy and storage technologies. The center will focus on homegrown technologies invented at KAUST and aims to attract investments, partnerships, and market interest for commercial adoption. Research will focus on prototyping and scaling technologies across six key themes including advanced photovoltaics and new battery chemistries. Why it matters: This initiative aligns with Saudi Vision 2030, supporting the Kingdom's climate goals and transition to sustainable energy while creating jobs and enhancing energy security.
KAUST's Solar & Photovoltaics Engineering Research Center (SPERC) was officially inaugurated with a two-day seminar featuring international solar energy experts. The event included discussions on developing the solar energy manufacturing industry in Saudi Arabia and a memorandum of understanding between KAUST and the Centre for Solar Energy and Hydrogen Research Baden-Württemberg (ZSW) to develop thin-film photovoltaic technology. ZSW holds the world record in thin-film photovoltaics cells efficiency, achieving a rate of 20.8%. Why it matters: This initiative signifies KAUST's commitment to becoming a regional hub for renewable energy and photovoltaics, fostering collaboration between research and industry to advance solar energy development in Saudi Arabia.
KAUST's Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC) is developing solar-powered seawater desalination technologies, including the MEDAD cycle which combines adsorption desalination (AD) and multi-effect distillation (MED). The MEDAD cycle, developed by Professor Kim Choon Ng, doubles water production at the same temperature, reducing costs to $0.48/m3 compared to $1.201/m3 for multi-stage flash distillation. A 100 m3/day commercial-scale MEDAD project was commissioned in Riyadh in 2017 in collaboration with KACST, and a larger 2,000 m3/day project is planned for Yanbu. Why it matters: This highlights Saudi Arabia's move towards sustainable energy and the role of research institutions like KAUST in developing cost-effective desalination technologies suitable for the region.
A KAUST project on "Hybrid Multi-Effect Adsorption Desalination" won the Global Technology Challenge at the Saudi Water & Power Forum. The competition, launched by Aramco Entrepreneurship and GE ecomagination, focused on seawater desalination using renewable energy. KAUST's Water Desalination and Reuse Center (WDRC) is partnering with the National University of Singapore (NUS) to bring this technology to Saudi Arabia. Why it matters: This award highlights innovation in desalination, a critical area for Saudi Arabia given its high salinity seawater and need for sustainable water solutions.