Masdar has awarded Degremont, a subsidiary of the French utility Suez Environnement, a contract to build a desalination pilot plant in Abu Dhabi powered 100 per cent by renewable energy.
The plant will be more energy-efficient than any other currently in operation, a statement on Suez Environnement’s website said.
The pilot plant is expected have minimal environmental impact and be suitable for the UAE’s seawater and desert conditions.
Degremont will be responsible for the design, engineering, procurement, construction, operation, maintenance and evaluation of the pilot plant, over the course of 18 months.
Some elements of the project will be conducted in collaboration with the Masdar Institute of Science and Technology and Laborelec, a technical centre of GDF Suez. The cost of building and operating the plant and services will be shared with Masdar.
The second phase of the programme will push Masdar to develop technology for large-scale desalination technology plants fully powered by renewable energy.
In a related development, Suez Environnement yesterday completed the acquisition of Process Group, an oil and gas engineering firm with operations in Abu Dhabi, Singapore and Melbourne.
Process Group specialises in engineering, design, fabrication and commissioning of equipment for the industry and had a turnover of €60 million (Dh299.8m) in 2013.
ascott@thenational.ae
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