Engie, a global leader in low-carbon energy and services, has launched its Desalination Centre of Excellence.
The initiative, in line with French group's commitment to achieving Net Zero by 2045, addresses the critical need for sustainable water solutions in a rapidly changing world.
The Centre was launched in the UAE at COP28, in alignment with COP’s ‘Food, Agriculture, and Water’ thematic day. The launch event saw the participation of several high-profile attendees, including water and desalination experts, c-level executives from regional and global companies, as well as government ministers and officials.
Through the Desalination Centre of Excellence, Engie aims to secure access to sustainable water for people so that future generations flourish and live in harmony. Through the centre, Engie endeavours to unleash the group desalination know-how and experience to drive strategic and operational decisions. With Engie currently producing 5,800,000 cu m d of desalinated water daily, the Centre is positioned to play a crucial role in meeting the growing global demand for water. It aims to address this challenge by utilizing the desalination capabilities it has developed in the region.
Latifa Lahsine, Head of the Desalination Centre of Excellence at Engie said: “With more than 30 years of experience, Engie stands as a leader in desalination and potable water solutions. We are proud to launch our Desalination Centre of Excellence, a hub dedicated to address and promote solutions for water scarcity and a carbon neutral world. By adopting a collaborative approach with our key stakeholders, the Centre serves to foster a resilient approach for shared water challenges. We envision a future in which all communities and industries in the region thrive on sustainable, clean, and safe water resources.”
The Centre aspires to be a global example for excellence in desalination, propelling the advancement of technology and sustainable water solutions through stakeholder collaboration, innovation, research, education. The Centre will initially focus addressing the desalination market needs and challenges through technical watch and research and innovation programmes, enhancement of the RO membrane based technology being of importance. The Centre will also focus on promoting energy efficiency, investigating alternative applications of brine water treatment options, and studying the environmental impacts of desalination.
With over three decades of desalination expertise, Engie has established a robust presence in the GCC region, managing a diverse portfolio of 19 desalination assets, four of which are currently under construction. The launch of the Desalination Centre of Excellence underscores Engie’s commitment to the region and cements its role as a global champion in the energy transition.