Water. Desalination + reuse
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/459793
WATER HAS only quite recently begun to acquire an economic value that resembles its cost of production and delivery in developed and developing parts of the world. With all the obvious caveats on affordability this is potentially a good thing in that it begins to create a real incentive to conserve. And the inexorable global rise in the cost of water from its time-honoured sources, owing to growing scarcity courtesy of global warming and swelling populations, is providing an economic platform for investment in desalination and water reuse. Meanwhile the desalination landscape is changing. That change is driven by an intensifying recognition of the importance of sustainability in water supply that is manifest in new technologies, new applications and greater emphasis on reuse. Energy saving desalination technologies to watch include membrane distillation, adsorption desalination, variations on forward osmosis and low-temperature distillation all of which have made strides towards commercial reality. But combinations and hybrids of thermal and membrane technologies are demonstrating great promise in upping the efficiency of water purification and reducing discharges. And renewable-powered projects on all scales are growing in number with those at Masdar in Abu Dhabi among the most significant. Opportunities for sustainable desalination and water reuse are growing in number. China has a serious water deficit issue. In keeping with its place as the world's biggest cleantech market, China's desalination projects routinely include energy recovery technology and exploitation of heat from cogeneration. On economic and environmental measures waste from sewage and industry are rising as challengers to the oceans as a water source as even potable reuse is growing in the US and Australia. Arguably wastewater reuse is emerging as desalination's green ticket. Latin America has promise as a place to invest in wastewater recycling: according to the World Bank it stands to be the world's region hardest hit by global warming and only 20% of its wastewater is currently treated. Mining, process and power industries are exploiting reuse technology to relieve the burden they place on drinking water supplies. Globally, reuse of water in mining and oil and gas is creating business for the desalination industry. Tellingly perhaps, next year the International Desalination Association (IDA) will stage its first conference devoted solely to water reuse. IDA director, Corrado Sommariva, recently made the point: "The desalination industry is shifting its emphasis from producing water regardless of cost to producing desalinated water sustainably." The real cost of abundant water is being revealed at the same time as the environmental and financial cost of desalination and recycling are being worked down. This is converging to a point where there is a green light for desalination and water reuse to become natural options for municipal and commercial water suppliers. On a related matter: membrane technology will be on show at the AMTA AWWA conference in March. I hope to meet some of you there. D&WR will be on stand 710. Dr Trevor Loveday COMMENT G E N E S Y S I N T E R N A T I O N A L Harnessing the power of microbubbles Genesys - Developing Technology to Improve your Operation YEARS YEARS Our revolutionary approach to RO membrane cleaning, for more information please contact marmstrong@genesysro.com or www.genesysro.com/genairclean.php Genesys International | Tel: +44 (0)1606 837 605 | www.genesysro.com The green light is on ediTor'scorner