Arab Finance: Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy Mahmoud Esmat has explored potential cooperation with George Brik, Co-Founder and CEO of Belgian water technology company Hydrovolta, on seawater desalination and electrochemical treatment systems for saline groundwater, according to a ministry statement.
The talks focused on using existing power plant infrastructure for desalination projects and extracting commercially valuable compounds and minerals from desalination byproducts.
During the meeting, Esmat reviewed Hydrovolta’s operations and the technology it uses to desalinate seawater and groundwater. The company’s SonixED technology combines electrodialysis, which removes selected ions and contaminants, with ultrasonic waves designed to limit salt scaling.
The system is intended to improve water treatment efficiency while reducing scaling, chemical use, and energy consumption. It can also treat highly saline groundwater to produce water suitable for drinking or irrigation.
The discussions also covered opportunities to recover products from desalination byproducts, including magnesium hydroxide, calcium carbonate, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, bromine, and hydrochloric acid.
Moreover, Esmat and the Hydrovolta delegation examined possible cooperation under Egypt’s proposed plan to produce 10 million cubic meters of desalinated water per day by 2050. The plan’s first phase targets a daily production capacity of 3.35 million cubic meters and includes opportunities to manufacture chemicals locally to reduce imports.
The proposed second phase would add a system for extracting, purifying, drying, and grading magnesium to produce a commercially viable product.
The meeting also addressed the potential for lowering desalinated water production costs by integrating desalination facilities with power plants and expanding the use of renewable energy sources, including solar and wind power. This integration could increase the economic value of desalination projects and reduce their long-term operating costs.
The ministry said seawater desalination could support development in coastal areas and facilitate the expansion of tourism, industrial, and urban projects under the state’s sustainable development strategy.
Esmat added that desalination projects could attract foreign and private investment while supporting the localization of related technologies and industries, including the production of equipment and components, workforce development, and the transfer of technical expertise.
He also said the electricity sector is implementing an integrated strategy to improve operational quality and efficiency, manage available resources, and maximize returns through private-sector partnerships.
The minister noted that the government is prepared to provide support for greater private-sector participation in industrial localization and desalination projects, Esmat said, welcoming cooperation with Hydrovolta as part of Egypt’s efforts to localize modern technology.
