Saudi Arabia’s Water Authority (SWA) has signed a partnership with U.S.-based water-tech firm Ebb to integrate electrochemical carbon-removal systems into the Kingdom’s desalination network, an initiative that could enable megaton-scale CO₂ removal and boost freshwater output across one of the world’s largest desalination markets.
The collaboration positions Saudi Arabia, which accounts for roughly 22% of global desalination capacity, to turn a long-standing challenge, high-salinity brine waste, into a new strategic resource. Under the agreement, Ebb’s technology will be deployed first at SWA’s research and development facility in Jubail, considered one of the leading global centers for advanced desalination. The pilot will inform a broader rollout across the national network in line with Vision 2030 goals for environmental sustainability, economic diversification and industrial innovation.
Ebb’s system uses electrochemical processes to convert brine into three marketable products: caustic soda, hydrochloric acid and a low-salinity brine stream that can be recycled to extract additional freshwater. The chemicals can be reused inside desalination plants or sold to nearby industries such as aluminum refining, potentially reducing Saudi Arabia’s dependence on imported inputs. The caustic soda can also be used to enhance the alkalinity of seawater, accelerating natural ocean processes that permanently remove CO₂.
The pilot will inform a broader rollout across the national network in line with Vision 2030 goals for environmental sustainability, economic diversification and industrial innovation
According to the company, coupling the technology with SWA’s desalination assets could unlock as much as 85 million tonnes of annual CO₂ removal—while simultaneously reducing ocean acidity in the Arabian Gulf. Earlier U.S. pilots, including multi-year demonstrations with the Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Project Macoma in Washington state, have reportedly validated the approach.
The initiative reflects mounting pressure on desalination operators in water-scarce regions to curb emissions and extract more value from energy-intensive processes. In Saudi Arabia, demand for desalinated water continues to climb alongside population and industrial growth.
Ben Tarbell, Ebb’s CEO and co-founder, said the partnership shows that “addressing water scarcity and climate change aren’t competing priorities—they’re mutually amplifying solutions,” adding that the Saudi program could signal a broader shift in how the global desalination industry manages brine and emissions.
SWA Vice President for Research & Promising Technologies Tariq Alghaffari said the deal demonstrates how the Kingdom can use its scale to catalyze new industries. “We are not simply adopting technology – we are building a domestic carbon removal industry that supports economic diversification and positions the Kingdom as an exporter of climate solutions,” he said.
