IDE Technologies, a leading global provider of water treatment solutions, today announced it was awarded the IDRA Industry and Sustainability Award for Lowest Carbon Footprint in Desalination. This prestigious award recognizes IDE’s groundbreaking work on the Sorek II facility, the company’s flagship seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant. The award was presented to IDE leaders during the IDRA World Congress Gala Dinner on December 11 in Abu Dhabi.
IDE has long been committed to advancing sustainable desalination, with a strong focus on reducing energy consumption and minimizing environmental impact. In recent years, the company developed a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology for seawater desalination plants. This has enabled IDE to quantify carbon emissions across all operational stages, provide measurable insights using parameters like kgCO2/m³, and establish a leading standard for sustainability in desalination.
Using the LCA methodology, IDE measured and managed the environmental impact of its newly built Sorek II facility, where several advanced technologies were implemented to minimize carbon emissions. These innovations include a patented direct-steam-drive solution for high-pressure pumps which eliminates inefficiencies related to traditional generators, motors, and variable frequency drives, thus reducing power consumption and emissions.
IDE also implemented a carbon capture system that recycles CO2 emitted by the facility’s power plant back into the remineralization process, reducing both transportation costs and resource consumption. Additionally, Sorek II produces Sodium Hypochlorite (NaClO) in-house for its post-treatment process, cutting reliance on external resources and lowering energy costs, aligning with the principles of a circular economy.
Another notable feature of Sorek II is its independent power station which operates independently and ensures the facility is not dependent on the peak or off-peak hours of the electricity grid. These efforts resulted in the facility reducing its Specific Energy (SE) consumption by about 10%, compared to similar high efficiency desalination plants. Sorek II, with a capacity of 672,000 m³/day and a record-low water price, demonstrates that environmental stewardship and economic efficiency are not mutually exclusive, but rather go hand in hand.
“IDE is committed to providing a more sustainable and secure water future for people across the globe and we are incredibly honored to be recognized for these efforts,” said Alon Tavor, CEO, IDE Technologies Group. “Through meticulous planning, advanced hydraulic design, steam-driven high-pressure pumps, and in-house chemical production, Sorek II has reduced its carbon footprint by 30% compared to the Hadera benchmark. This reduction translates to over 120,000 tons of CO2 emissions, setting a new benchmark for sustainability in desalination.”
The IDRA Award for Lowest Carbon Footprint in Desalination honors organizations that demonstrate exemplary efforts in minimizing their environmental impact, fostering a greener future for the planet. This category, in particular, aims to inspire others in the desalination industry by recognizing and promoting eco-friendly practices to address climate change and a sustainable water future.
To learn more about IDE’s path to net-carbon-zero desalination and its sustainable approach to comprehensive water solutions, visit http://www.ide-tech.com.
About IDE Technologies
A world leader provider of desalination and water treatment solutions, IDE specializes in the development, engineering, construction, and operation of some of the world’s largest and most advanced thermal and membrane desalination facilities and industrial water treatment plants. IDE partners with a wide range of customers, municipal and industrial, on all aspects of water treatment, and delivers quality projects worldwide. For more information, visit www.ide-tech.com.
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