ACCIONA a key player in the water treatment sector

Inayat-ur-Rahman, Business Editor

ACCIONA has positioned itself as a key player in the water treatment sector in Saudi Arabia and the UAE as the company offers sustainable solutions to the most urgent challenges facing the planet, such as global warming, energy needs and water shortages.

ACCIONA established its first office in the Middle East in Dubai in 2008. Since then, Dubai has been the hub and expansion platform from which ACCIONA carries out its business in the Gulf and other Arab countries.

“The Spanish firm has set up two water desalination plants in Jubail and Al-Khobar in Saudi Arabia,” said Adelaida Fernandez, Project Director at ACCIONA, during an exclusive interview with Gulf Today.

She noted that ACCIONA” has a strong presence in Europe, North and South America, Africa and the Middle East, and the Saudi market is considered its largest in the region. Its main office is located in the city of Riyadh as part of the Kingdom’s keenness to attract global investments to create a competitive environment between international and local companies and alliances and partnerships that reflect on the ultimate beneficiary who obtains on water benefits at an acceptable competitive price.

She added that the reverse osmosis technology used in water desalination is considered the most economically feasible and lowest in terms of energy consumption. For example, the amount of energy used to produce 1000 liters of desalinated water is equal to the consumption of the home air conditioner for an hour. In addition, the amount of carbon emissions resulting from this technology is 6 times less than in traditional technologies. Therefore, modern desalination plants are based on reverse osmosis technology, which the international company ACCIONA” relies on in its projects in the Gulf region, as the company obtained long-term contracts in desalination and water treatment plants in Saudi Arabia, especially since this sector receives special attention within the Kingdom’s vision.

“Huge investments that address the issue of sustainability and water security represent the mainstay of other sectors such as the tourism and agricultural sectors in Saudi Arabia, in addition to providing job and training opportunities.”

“As part of these investments, ACCIONA is implementing two desalination plants in the eastern region of the Kingdom, specifically in Jubail and Al-Khobar.

“The Jubail station is expected to produce approximately 570,000 cubic meters per day of drinking water, using reverse osmosis technology, relying on a photovoltaic solar station with a capacity of 61 megawatts to reduce the environmental impact.”

The station, which is being built by an alliance that includes “ACCIONA and “SEPCO III” as main contractors for engineering and supply, in addition to “Engie” and “Nesma Ltd.”, the Ajlan & Brothers Holding Group, and the Construction and Development Company, is located in the heart of the industrial zone in the Jubail region on the Gulf coast. Al-Arabi is located in eastern Saudi Arabia, about 100 kilometers from Dammam. The station is operating on a trial basis, awaiting completion before the end of the first quarter of this year.

“By entering the station into full operation, ACCIONA has contributed to the establishment of desalination plants with a total capacity of 2.37 million cubic meters per day in the Kingdom, which enhances the use of reverse osmosis technology as an effective and sustainable solution while reducing the carbon footprint. In addition, the engineering, procurement and construction contract includes the construction of approximately 58 kilometers of power transmission lines, an electrical substation, marine works, and a photovoltaic energy production station to reduce dependence on public grid energy.”

“As for the seawater and saltwater treatment plant in Al-Khobar, which is being implemented, it has a capacity of 210,000 cubic meters per day, intended to supply 350,000 people. The two stations are part of an integrated mix of solutions and initiatives to provide water in the Kingdom as a rare vital resource, within a general understanding of the importance of preserving water resources and reducing waste, which is embodied in a group of strategies and projects. To reduce water consumption and keep this vital resource from being wasted.”

Working with ACCIONA represents a clear example in this field, in addition to its reliance in its projects on green financing, which is in line with its vision of sustainability and clean energy projects, in addition to its participation in other initiatives such as local content and women’s empowerment through its effective role in project sites and remote stations. , training 40 male and female employees, and afforestation and community service initiatives.