Emirates Water and Electricity Company (Ewec) has invited companies to submit an Expression of Interest for the development of two new seawater desalination plants in Abu Dhabi.
The two plants in Saadiyat Island and Hudayriat Island will provide nearly 100 million imperial gallons per day of water to about 180,000 households in Abu Dhabi, using low-carbon intensive reverse osmosis technologies, Ewec said in a statement on Monday.
These plants are part of the Abu Dhabi Islands Reverse Osmosis Independent Water Project.
“This project will become Ewec’s seventh and eighth reverse osmosis desalination plants once operational, advancing Ewec’s strategic initiative to decouple power and water generation capacity, and supporting the decarbonisation of water and electricity production,” the statement said.
Reverse osmosis is a membrane-based method of desalination which uses less energy than the thermal process of producing fresh water. The method helps lower the energy intensity of an industry that takes up a significant share of regional power consumption.
Ewec is “making rapid and tangible changes to the water and energy production portfolio with a focus on sustainability, in support of UAE Energy Strategy 2050 and the UAE Net Zero by 2050 strategic initiative", Othman Al Ali, chief executive of Ewec, said.
The UAE, Opec's third largest oil producer, aims to become carbon neutral by 2050 and is focusing on the development of clean energy projects. The country has Dh600 billion ($163.3bn) worth of clean and renewable energy investments planned over the next three decades.
Ewec is inviting developers to submit their EOIs by September 30. After a review of the EOIs, it will issue a request for qualifications to proceed to the next stage.
The project will involve the development, financing, construction, operation and maintenance of the two plants.
The successful developer or developer consortium will own up to 40 per cent of a special purpose vehicle, while the remaining equity will be held indirectly by the Abu Dhabi government, according to the statement.
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More on Quran memorisation:
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
Kathryn Hawkes of House of Hawkes on being a good guest (because we’ve all had bad ones)
- Arrive with a thank you gift, or make sure you have one for your host by the time you leave.
- Offer to buy groceries, cook them a meal or take your hosts out for dinner.
- Help out around the house.
- Entertain yourself so that your hosts don’t feel that they constantly need to.
- Leave no trace of your stay – if you’ve borrowed a book, return it to where you found it.
- Offer to strip the bed before you go.
