Masdar City in Abu Dhabi will launch the world’s first project to produce commercial volumes of an uninterrupted water supply from a sustainable source later this month.
The innovative pilot project will be run by US-based water technologies company, AQUOVUM, in partnership with Masdar and Khalifa University of Science and Technology, as part of a three-party research and development agreement.
The project will evaluate the performance of AQUOVUM’s large format Atmospheric Water Generation (AWG) technology in combination with a renewable energy source, and its ability to be included in current or future sustainable water projects.
The AWG technology extracts water from the atmosphere using a renewable energy source and is another promising addition to the innovative sustainability-focused projects being run in Abu Dhabi’s R&D hub, Masdar City. The carbon-free technology will create access to clean water while contributing to the UNSDG 6 goal of ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
The AWG technology will also contribute to a market that is expected to grow by a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 25% worldwide, and more than 30% CAGR in the Middle East and Africa alone, which are some of the world’s harshest climates where water is needed the most, according to Global Market Insights.
Abdulla Balalaa, Executive Director, Sustainable Real Estate, Masdar City, said: “Water underlies all areas of human and environmental health and it is also essential to food and energy production. Developing technologies that both protect and guarantee a constant and secure source of water, is therefore of utmost importance.
“The AQUOVUM pilot will be installed at Khalifa University’s Masdar Institute Solar Platform and will operate from 100% renewable power, a process that is completely carbon neutral. As the regional home of technology innovation and R&D, at Masdar City, we are delighted to be partnering with AQUOVUM and Khalifa University to initiate this world-first project.
“The project will positively contribute to regional and global water security in line with the UAE Water Security Strategy 2036, and as the only planned and approved R&D cluster in Abu Dhabi, we are committed to facilitating R&D projects that bring ground-breaking new technologies to the world and contribute to building a more sustainable future for all.”
Robert Wood, CTO of AQUOVUM, added: “To support and progress the global green transition and to ensure water security, we recognised that we must power our systems on 100% renewable energy to provide a truly sustainable water supply. Our bleeding-edge technologies work with nature and are the way forward to deliver lasting, sustainable solutions.”
The green power needed for this supply will be provided by the Azelio AB (Sweden) demonstrator of 24/7 electrical thermal energy storage, also located at the Masdar Institute Solar Platform.
