Italy and Saudi Arabia have strengthened partnerships, including strategic agreements in the water sector.
ACWA Power, a global leader in water desalination and green energy, has signed five Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with four major Italian organizations, including with De Nora, a multi-national company specialising in water treatment technologies. According to a press release by ACWA Power, the collaboration focuses on integrating advanced water treatment solutions into ACWA Power's desalination projects, including the evaluation of disinfection technologies and pilot testing innovative systems. This partnership reinforces ACWA Power’s status as the world’s largest private water desalination company and aligns with its commitment to enhancing water security.
Marco Arcelli, CEO of ACWA Power, emphasized the significance of these agreements: “The opportunities of cooperation between Saudi and Italian companies are immense in the sphere of supply, localisation, financing, and energy. We believe that bringing together our competences and resources will significantly advance the energy transition and water security, promoting sustainable infrastructure developments.”
De Nora has also signed a second agreement with the Saudi Water Authority, the governmental body responsible for regulating and managing Saudi Arabia's water sector. This joint initiative includes the development of three pilot plants: one focused on enhancing the efficiency of chlorine dioxide for water disinfection, another dedicated to researching methods for treating PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances), and a third aimed at exploring innovative techniques to recover hydrogen released from electrochlorination systems, promoting both energy efficiency and sustainability.
The strengthened collaboration between Italy and Saudi Arabia marks a significant step forward in advancing sustainable water and energy solutions. Through these partnerships both nations are leveraging their expertise to address global challenges in water security.