Desalination in the Middle East : The Race for Freshwater
Following in Miriam’s footsteps, the modern minds of the MENA-GCC region (Middle East and North Africa - Gulf Cooperation Council) continue to grapple with water scarcity. Desalination has emerged as the preferred solution to address mounting water stress—the imbalance between demand and available resources. In the UAE, 42% of potable water comes from desalination; in Kuwait, the figure stands at 90%, in Oman at 86%, and in Saudi Arabia at 70%.
As pioneers in this field, Gulf scientists are witnessing a boom in desalination industries. The United Nations projects that by 2025, two-thirds of the global population will face water scarcity. Today, more than 21,000 desalination plants operate worldwide, nearly double the number a decade ago. The salinity problem is no longer confined to the Gulf. It now resonates across the shores of East Asia, the Americas, and Europe. Spain has become the world’s fourth-largest desalination operator, with over 900 facilities. In 2020 alone, China and the US West Coast announced 35 new desalination plants. Consequently, Middle Eastern countries plan to double their desalination capacity within five years as part of post-oil strategic plans. Ambitious projects are also underway in North Africa, including in nations previously blessed with abundant freshwater like Morocco and Algeria.
A broad spectrum of industrial actors is involved in this transformation. For over a decade, French giants Engie and Veolia have led the market. Veolia’s recent merger with Suez expanded its reach across the Americas and the Middle East, where it already has a strong presence. Israel’s desalination champion, IDE Technologies, remains a formidable competitor. What new challenges, solutions, and projects will emerge to soften the land and foster better multilateral cooperation ?
Challenges : Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Brine and Carbon Emissions
While the MENA region leads in desalination, it faces a Sisyphean dilemma : for every liter of freshwater produced, 1.5 liters of chemical-laden brine is discharged back into the sea. Current methods contribute to ocean warming. Although the region produces approximately 48% of the world’s desalinated water, it is also responsible for 55% of global brine discharge. Four countries —Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, and Qatar—are the chief culprits.
Another facet of this technological innovation is its energy consumption. Desalinating seawater remains both costly and energy-intensive. Without an alternative model, plants in Riyadh and Abu Dhabi are projected to consume the daily energy output of one to two nuclear power stations by 2030. The regional challenge is thus to transition from gas or coal-powered plants to low-carbon energy sources.
Osmosun : The French SME Bringing Energy Efficiency to the Gulf
Abu Dhabi’s Masdar Institute is actively developing new desalination models with an eye toward creativity and sustainability. During the 2016 International Water Summit (IWS), the Emirati university hosted an innovation contest addressing the region’s water challenges.
Unexpectedly, a small French company from Chartres stole the show. Osmosun, formerly known as Mascara, dazzled the jury with its pioneering photovoltaic desalination technology. Founders Maxime Haudebourg and Marc Vergnet, seasoned experts in African markets, aimed to expand their approach to deliver autonomous solutions across wider territories. The institute not only awarded Osmosun first prize but also financed extensive testing of their machine. This support accelerated the company’s growth, leading to applications of its technology in Senegal, South Africa, and Mauritania, before eventually going public last July.
A Desalination Revolution ?
Today, production capacity, operational costs, energy consumption, and infrastructure longevity are decisive factors for winning contracts in the desalination industry. Growing awareness of climate change effects across the MENA region is spurring the development of new technologies, representing a market projected to be worth $97 billion between 2024 and 2028. This booming sector is now an essential part of the toolkit for tackling water scarcity.
Veolia, a key player in the industry, continues to expand its Middle Eastern operations with the aim of increasing its regional revenue by 50% by 2030. After fifty years in the region, the French group generated €1.1 billion in revenue in 2023 through its three core businesses : water, energy, and waste management. To strengthen its position in water technology, Veolia is focusing on its GreenUp 2024-2027 strategy.
The company aspires to provide its services to flagship sites in the region, including the Hassyan plant—the world’s second-largest and most energy-efficient—as well as the Hamriyah and Mirfa 2 plants in the UAE, the Sur plant in Oman, and the Sadara Marafiq facility in Saudi Arabia. Additionally, Veolia has signed a strategic partnership with Saudi Investment Recycling Company (SIRC), a subsidiary of the Saudi Public Investment Fund, aimed at developing a national and regional leader in organic and industrial waste treatment by 2027.
Israel is not being left behind in this revolution. On June 26, 2023, the European Investment Bank approved €150 million to finance a desalination project in Western Galilee. Named Birkat Miriam, after the biblical priestess, the facility marks a turning point in Israel’s water management strategy, as it is the first desalination plant built in the northern part of the country.
The European Investment Bank has previously supported four large-scale desalination facilities in Israel, along with innovative projects in Jordan and Djibouti. These initiatives signal a new paradigm : accessible, controlled water in a region increasingly thirsty for innovation.
Sources :
Carep Paris : Une cartographie de la course au dessalement dans le monde arabe
Ifri : Géopolitique du dessalement d'eau de mer
Radio France : La mer à boire des usines de dessalement
Radio France : Osmosun - dessaler l'eau de mer avec l'énergie solaire
Véolie : communiqué de presse du 2 décembre 2024
