Chemistry:Al-Khafji solar desalination plant

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Short description: Solar-powered seawater desalination plant in Saudi Arabia


The Al-Khafji Solar Desalination Plant is a seawater reverse-osmosis (SWRO) facility located near Al-Khafji in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia.[1] It is described in governmental and technical publications as one of the earliest large-scale desalination plants intended to operate primarily using solar photovoltaic (PV) power.[2] The project was developed under the King Abdullah Initiative for Solar Water Desalination, led by the King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST).[3]

Development

The King Abdullah Initiative for Solar Water Desalination was launched in 2010 with the aim of integrating renewable-energy technologies into national desalination processes.[4][5] The Al-Khafji project became the initiative's first large-scale implementation.[6] In 2015, Advanced Water Technology (AWT) and Abengoa began construction of the desalination plant and its 10-MW solar PV field.[7] Development took place between 2016 and 2018 using KACST-manufactured PV modules.[8]

Technology

The facility is powered by a 10-MW solar photovoltaic field located approximately 9 km away, with modules designed by KACST to tolerate high temperatures, dust exposure, and strong solar radiation.[9][10] It operates in a hybrid configuration that relies on solar electricity during daylight hours and draws power from the national grid at night or during periods of low solar availability.[11] The desalination process employs a seawater reverse osmosis system with ultrafiltration pretreatment to enhance membrane efficiency and limit fouling.[12] This is followed by a two-stage reverse osmosis sequence supported by energy recovery devices and completed with post-treatment steps such as remineralization and pH adjustment.[13] The plant has a designed production capacity of about 60,000 to 90,000 m³ per day.[14][15]

Capacity and operation

According to Vision 2030 project materials, the Al-Khafji Solar Desalination Plant can supply drinking water for roughly 100,000 residents.[16][17] Solar PV provides daytime electricity, while the grid ensures continuous 24-hour operation.[18]

Environmental impact

Reports from KACST and Fanack Water indicate that solar-powered desalination can reduce fossil-fuel consumption and lower greenhouse-gas emissions associated with water production.[19][20] Solar generation displaces electricity that may otherwise come from oil or gas-fired power plants.[21]

References

  1. ↑ "How solar-powered desalination allows Saudi Arabia to produce potable water sustainably" (in en). 2024-06-22. https://arab.news/vrfdr. 
  2. ↑ KACST. "King Abdullah Initiative for Solar Water Desalination". https://kh.aquaenergyexpo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/King-Abdullah-Initiative-for-Solar-Water-Desalination.pdf. 
  3. ↑ "KACST embarks on solar desalination project" (in en). https://www.arabnews.com/node/697351/amp. 
  4. ↑ Mahdi, Wael; DiPaola, Anthony. "Saudi Arabia's solar-powered desalination plant to start running in 2013". https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2011-03-08/saudi-arabia-s-solar-powered-desalination-plant-to-start-running-in-2013. 
  5. ↑ "Saudi solar-powered desal plant ready by year-end - Utilities Middle East" (in en-US). 2013-09-01. https://www.utilities-me.com/news/article-2480-saudi-solar-powered-desal-plant-ready-by-year-end. 
  6. ↑ "Saudi Arabia's Water Future: Addressing Scarcity and Ensuring Sustainability" (in en-US). https://agsi.org/analysis/saudi-arabias-water-future-addressing-scarcity-and-ensuring-sustainability/. 
  7. ↑ Phelan (2015-01-24). "Abengoa, AWT to build solar-power desal plant" (in en-US). https://ebionline.org/2015/01/24/abengoa-awt-to-build-solar-power-desal-plant-2/. 
  8. ↑ Khonkar, Prof. Hussam. "Utilizing Solar Energy for Desalination to meet Local Growth on Agriculture demand without Affecting the Environment". https://www.macs-g20.org/fileadmin/macs/Annual_Meetings/2020_SaudiArabia/Documents/Activites/water__Energy__Food_Nexus/1.Session_1/1.5_Session_G20_International_Workshop_on_Water__Energy__Food_Nexus_31_August_2020_V5.pdf. 
  9. ↑ Jacobo, Jonathan Touriño (2025-06-26). "KAUST develops cooling technology that increases solar cell longevity by 200%" (in en-US). https://www.pv-tech.org/kaust-develops-cooling-technology-that-increases-solar-cell-longevity-by-200/. 
  10. ↑ Al-Harbi, Omar. "Al-Khafji Solar Water Desalination". https://kh.aquaenergyexpo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/solar-water-desalination.pdf. 
  11. ↑ Beer, Mitchell (2015-01-28). "Saudi Arabia Builds World's Largest Solar Desalination Plant" (in en-CA). https://www.theenergymix.com/saudi-arabia-builds-worlds-largest-solar-desalination-plant/. 
  12. ↑ "How solar-powered desalination allows Saudi Arabia to produce potable water sustainably" (in en). 2024-06-22. https://arab.news/vrfdr. 
  13. ↑ Philibert, Marc; Villacorte, Loreen O.; Ekowati, Yuli; Abushaban, Almotasembellah; Salinas-Rodriguez, Sergio G. (2024-12-21). "Fouling and scaling in reverse osmosis desalination plants: A critical review of membrane autopsies, feedwater quality guidelines and assessment methods". Desalination 592. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2024.118188. ISSN 0011-9164. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0011916424008993. 
  14. ↑ Verma, Vikas; Thangavel, Sivasakthivel; Dutt, Nitesh; Kumar, Ashwani; Weerasinghe, Rohitha (2024-05-21) (in en). Highly Efficient Thermal Renewable Energy Systems: Design, Optimization and Applications. CRC Press. ISBN 978-1-040-02051-7. https://www.google.co.ke/books/edition/Highly_Efficient_Thermal_Renewable_Energ/TqUIEQAAQBAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=Al-Khafji+Solar+Desalination+Plant&pg=PA322&printsec=frontcover. 
  15. ↑ "Saudi Arabia's Big Bet on the Sun - CBS News" (in en-US). 2010-04-09. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saudi-arabias-big-bet-on-the-sun/. 
  16. ↑ Vermeer, Ruben (2025-09-08). "Al Khafji Solar Seawater RO Plant: Saudi Arabia's Game-Changer" (in en-US). https://water.fanack.com/al-khafji-solar-desalination-plant/. 
  17. ↑ "Solar energy initiative launched" (in en). 2010-01-25. https://www.arabnews.com/node/333305. 
  18. ↑ Al-Harbi, Omar; Lehnert, Karl. "Al-Khafji Solar Water Desalination". https://kh.aquaenergyexpo.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/solar-water-desalination.pdf. 
  19. ↑ page, Prachi Patelarchive. "Solar-Powered Desalination" (in en). https://www.technologyreview.com/2010/04/08/204900/solar-powered-desalination/. 
  20. ↑ "Solar Desalination: A Promising Solution for the Future of Water in MENA - Water Fanack.com" (in en-US). https://water.fanack.com/publications/desalination/. 
  21. ↑ Beer, Mitchell (2015-01-28). "Saudi Arabia Builds World's Largest Solar Desalination Plant" (in en-CA). https://www.theenergymix.com/saudi-arabia-builds-worlds-largest-solar-desalination-plant/. 



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