Within the framework of Omani-Korean cooperation, Kim Chang-Kyu, Ambassador of the Republic of South Korea to the Sultanate of Oman, visited the site of the solar-powered water desalination pilot project implemented in an Omani farm in Al Nabra village in Wilayat Al Suwaiq (North Al Batinah Governorate).
The project, implemented by South Korean firm Prosave, is sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Environment, supported by global green initiative of KISA and KOTRA. The initiative aims to solve water deficiency in water-stressed countries of the Middle East.
A number of farms in North Al Batinah Governorate suffer from water salinity, including the farm where the project was launched. The project aims to find effective solutions to the problem of salinity in farms and take advantage of modern scientific techniques in this field.
The pilot project centres on the use of solar PV powered reverse osmosis (RO), where electricity is generated entirely from solar energy. Photovoltaic panels are connected to the desalination system to power the reverse osmosis process (RO). Unlike conventional RO processes, which are energy intensive, the technology incorporated in the pilot project enables reduced energy consumption, making the system cost-competitive.
Significantly, the pilot plant produces 36 tons of freshwater every day (eight hours) utilsing 56 kilowatts of renewable electricity. However, the photovoltaic component of the plant produces up to 350 kilowatts of electricity per eight hours, allowing for the surplus output to be utilized for other purposes.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by a number of farmers from Suwaiq and other neighbouring wilayats. Also present were the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Omani Agricultural Association, officials from the Ministry of Agricultural, Fisheries and Water Resources, and representatives from the Embassy of South Korea, and Prosave, the company executing the project.
