05 December 2025 at 04:59 pm IST
The Saudi Water Authority (SWA) has been recognized with two major honors at the Asian Water Awards 2025—Net Zero Carbon Project of the Year and Renewable Water Energy Innovation Award—reflecting its pioneering role in sustainable water production. These awards highlight SWA’s commitment to integrating renewable energy, boosting operational efficiency, and reducing environmental impact across large-scale desalination projects, positioning the Kingdom as a regional leader in water-sector innovation. The Shuaiba Phase-1 replacement project earned the Net Zero Carbon award for setting new global benchmarks in desalination performance. The upgraded facility produces 600,000 m³/day of water with exceptionally low energy consumption—1.7 kWh/m³ for reverse osmosis and 2.34 kWh/m³ for the entire plant—while operating at more than 99% availability. The project not only minimizes chemical usage and operational costs but also boosts output by 11.3% beyond its design capacity, delivering high-reliability water supply to major regions including Makkah, Jeddah, Taif, and Al-Baha. SWA’s second award recognizes the 55 MW solar photovoltaic project in Al Jubail, which powers one of the world’s largest desalination plants with clean energy. Featuring 93,000 solar panels generating 104 GWh annually, the system cuts 78,000 tons of CO₂ emissions each year, reduces reliance on the national grid by over 10%, and lowers the plant’s energy consumption by 11%. With an investment of SAR160 million, the project brings substantial financial savings, around SAR20 million annually, while supporting the production of 38.3 million m³ of desalinated water. Together, these initiatives demonstrate how renewable energy and innovation are reshaping Saudi Arabia’s water sector and advancing regional sustainability standards.
