Water. Desalination + reuse
Issue link: https://fhpublishing.uberflip.com/i/513849
REGIONS China's water ambition is carbon threat says WRI ASIA PACIFIC China's ambition to produce drinking water from desalination at 3 million m³/day threatens to increase carbon emissions through increased use of largely coal-fred power generation according to the World Resources Institute (WRI). The institute said the energy penalty could be offset by some 75% by greater use of water reuse. In its report on energy and water issues in the city of Qingdao, WRI warned that were the city to realize its aim to build 400,000 m³ in desalination capacity its greenhouse emissions could grow 80%. In contrast it pointed out that wastewater reuse consumed less than 1kWh/m³ compared to 4kWh/m³ by desalination. China's coal-dominated power generation capacity meant that, "consuming greater amounts of desalinated water would simultaneously increase greenhouse gas emissions," said WRI in its report. "Until desalination technology becomes more energy effcient, it should only be used as a backup source of water in China," lAtIN AmERICAS Israel aids Marshall Islands in drought relief with truck-mounted desalination | 40 | Desalination & Water Reuse | May-June 2015 according to the WRI. The WRI estimated that close to 90% of China's coastal cities faced water scarcity and some 300 million rural residents lacked access to clean water. In response the Chinese government was seeking to up the country's desalinated water output to 3 million m³/d from 770,000 m³/day currently. Magazine, World Water Intelligence quoted a summary of China's policy by consultant at Atkins Water and Environment International, Simon Spooner: "When you consider the energy requirement of desalination and the problems in supplying that energy, in terms of resource consumption and carbon emissions, then that's really looking quite problematic. The whole Chinese desalination journey seems to be getting a bit shaky as well. Some of the plants that have already been built have got problems they are looking into." Israel's ministry of foreign affairs is supplying a truck-mounted desalination facility to the Marshall Islands in the Pacifc ocean to help tackle the islands' severe water shortage. "When I was at a meeting with the heads of state of the Small Islands Developing States (SIDS) in Samoa, I met with the president of the Marshall Islands, who asked me to help his country," explained deputy minister of foreign affairs, Tzachi Hanegbi. The Israeli manufacturer of the desalination vehicle, Hadera-based GAL Water Technologies, has dispatched a team of experts to the Marshall Islands to help train local staff to operate the new system. The mobile water treatment system was designed for sustained emergency response and recovery in remote communities. The system can connect to any water source, including rivers, oceans, brackish water, and wells to produce drinking water that meets World Health Organization standards said GAL. Israel said US$ 150,000-worth of other water-related support would join the mobile desalination. ● At the end of last year energy-effcient, small-scale desalination specialist Spectra Watemarkers, provided a permanent solar and wind-powered desalination plant on the remote atoll of Kili in the Marshall Islands. The facility is now operational and is the region's second facility. Contractor, Moana Marine installed the two Spectra LB-2800 reverse osmosis desalination systems, which convert seawater into over 28 Ml/d of fresh, EPA-approved drinking water. Before the installation, Kili's 1,200 residents suffered not only from drought but also from polluted groundwater, which had to be boiled before drinking. The energy effciency of the desalination system makes it possible to power it by wind and solar power. Moreover, it overcomes the unreliability of fuel supplies due to seasonal rough seas. Mexico invests in six reverse osmosis plants to up coastal development Mexico is investing more than one billion pesos (US$ 65 million) in six initiatives to construct seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants on the country's coast where, according to national water authority Conagua, water availability was low while there was high potential for development. Major projects were planned in Tijuana, the Baja California peninsular and in Sonora state. Investment in the projects from Mexico's national infrastructure programme, Fonadin, totalled more than 1,100 million pesos (US$ 75.5 million) while private sector investment was 1,850 pesos (US$ 127 million). Desalination plants in Baja California Sur's state capital, La Paz, and in Los Cabos were scheduled to begin construction this year. The frst phase of the La Paz plant will have an output capacity of 17.3 Ml/d according to Conagua. Investment was estimated at 545 million pesos (US$ 37.4 million) with 60% coming from the private sector and Fonadin providing the balance. Degrémont México, has expressed interest in participating in the public tender to build the La Paz plant. And the North American Development Bank was investing 320 million pesos (US$ 22 million) in a desalination plant at Ensenada city in Baja California, valued by Conagua at 517 million pesos (US$ 35.5 million). Investment for the 35 Ml/d Los Cabos desalination plant, meanwhile, has yet to be disclosed. Conagua's strategic project portfolio included a 86.4 Ml/d seawater reverse osmosis desalination plant in Tijuana – a collaboration with the US; two at Ensenada in Baja California state; two in Baja California Sur at Los Cabos and La Paz; and one at San Carlos in Sonora state. Other projects identifed under Fonadin included a desalination plant in Quintana Roo state for the island beach resort, Cozumel.