Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC), which is responsible for desalinating sea water in order to augment supplies of potable water to coastal and inland cities in the Kingdom, has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Korean GMVP for access to the latest technologies for converting saline water into potable water.

Global MVP (GMVP) is a government funded research program that manages the research and development of innovative desalination technologies focusing on discharged brine, a solution of salt (usually sodium chloride) in water, with a purpose of decreasing the environmental impact.

Ibrahim Al-Tisan, DGM, Desalination Technologies Research Institute (DTRI), an affiliate of SWCC, and Kim Seung-hyun, director, GMVP, signed the deal on the sidelines of the 10th Saudi water and power forum in Riyadh.

SWCC Gov. Abdulrahman Al-Ibrahim was also present during the signing ceremony.

Speaking to Arab News, Al-Tisan said that the purpose of the MoU is to create a framework for mutual cooperation.

He said that DTRI and GMVP intend to promote the knowledge exchange and transfer of technology.

In an interview with Arab News after the signing ceremony, Seung-hyun said: “SWCC is working quite well in the field and know how to use desalination with the existing technology.”

After this MoU we will work in joint cooperation with GMVP sharing future technology to convert salt water into potable water.

He said that the areas of cooperation in the innovative technologies include membrane distillation, pressure retarded osmosis and valuable resource recovery methods.

He maintained that the two partners will conduct the ambitious project with the ultimate objective of the commercial application of the innovative desalination technologies.

Besides further developing the technique for desalination, it also aims to create new ways for cost reduction and help in Saudization of the water and power sector.

According to experts at the forum, the developments will virtually help reduce dependence on foreign partners and rely more on national stakeholders and will help Saudi companies to take over the ongoing rapid development in the sector.

The SWCC is also the second largest electric power producer in the Kingdom.