T h e F u tu re o f Des al i nati o n i n M ENA : The door is open for Egypt to challenge Saudi Arabia’s dominance By Christophe Guillet, Partner and Ismail Alaoui, Principal
Amane Advisors Partner Christophe Guillet and Principal Ismail Alaoui explore the market conditions and drivers impacting growth in the MENA region and share why Saudi Arabia’s position as the desalination market leader in MENA could be challenged in the coming years With its limited freshwater resources, the Middle East
NEOM being built in the country’s northwest corner.
and North Africa (MENA) region has emerged as a
By 2025, approximately 30% of the city’s water will be
major player in the international desalination market
provided by a 500,000 cubic meter per day desalination
– accounting for roughly 48% of global desalination
plant that, incidentally, will be powered 100% by
capacity.
renewable energy.
In particular, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) leads
Desalination activity in KSA, however, is largely
in desalination in the region with an installed capacity
dominated by ACWA Power, with Engie a distant
of nine million cubic meters per day. Very large mega-
second. ACWA Power became a listed company in
projects are typical here (generally over 200,000 cubic
2021 and with the sovereign wealth fund as a majority
meters per day) and, as evidenced by Rabigh 3, as
shareholder and a portfolio valued at US$65 billion,
large as 600,000 cubic meters per day. Another project
ACWA Power has a distinct and nearly insurmountable
worth noting is the futuristic, sustainable smart city of
advantage over small and medium competitors in the
amane currents
| Summer 2022
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