Advances in desalination to boost hydrogen production: SWCC governor

Abdullah Al Abdulkarim, governor of Saline Water Conversion Corp. speaks at the event. Supplied
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Updated 30 June 2022
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Advances in desalination to boost hydrogen production: SWCC governor

LAS PALMAS: Richer enhancement and innovation in the desalination sector could help produce green hydrogen in the future as Saudi Arabia heads toward a sustainable future, according to Abdullah Al Abdulkarim, governor of Saline Water Conversion Corp.

In an exclusive interview with Arab News on the sidelines of Desalination for the Environment: Clean Water and Energy held in Las Palmas, Gran Canaria, Al Abdulkarim said that zero liquid discharge in the water industry could make a paradigm shift that could catalyze the journey toward a sustainable future. 

ZLD is a water treatment approach where all water is recovered, and the residue is reduced to solid waste.

ZLD to improve sustainability

“We are talking about zero liquid discharge from our industry. Hydrogen is a part of our focus. We have a chance to produce hydrogen with a richer enhancement in our process. We can go for green hydrogen if we utilize renewable energy for water production,” said Al Abdulkarim.

Talking about going sustainable in the water industry, he said, “We have to bring the business to our nation, we have to reduce the cost of water production, we have to save the environment and we have to inspire them for a new arena of water production.”

Al Abdulkarim revealed that SWCC’s operation is aligned with the goals outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030, and several targets were set on that mission, of which he said many had been achieved.

Miriam Balaban honored

During the event, Al Abdulkarim also honored Miriam Balaban, a publisher, editor and scientist recognized for her work in science communication and desalination.

Balaban, 97, who has been in the desalination field for 56 years told Arab News, “I was in Jubail, where there’s a big facility and research base now. There’s a wonderful teaching unit and everything in that very big plant. Saudis were the first to build a very big plant; they made this technology possible.

“I appreciate Saudi for the scientific research they have in the Kingdom, which has developed. They are also building the research which is looking ahead in development,” she added.


Saudi Arabia aims to become world’s largest AI token exporter: Humain CEO

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Saudi Arabia aims to become world’s largest AI token exporter: Humain CEO

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is aiming to become the world’s largest exporter of artificial intelligence tokens as it accelerates efforts to position itself as a regional and global technology hub, according to a senior executive.

Speaking at the PIF Private Sector Forum, Tareq Amin, CEO of Humain, said the Kingdom has the necessary resources including abundant energy supplies and strong geographic connectivity to establish itself as a global AI powerhouse.

His remarks align with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 strategy, which seeks to transform the Kingdom into a leading regional technology hub by the end of the decade.

Humain “is a company that has an ambition to become a global player in this important space. We are an AI total value chain company. Focussed from Humain core, which is our data centers. These are not small data centers. We are talking about gigawatt capacity,” Amin said.

He emphasized the critical role of energy in artificial intelligence development, adding: “AI is an energy game. We have power, energy affordability and abundance, connectivity, land, and water. We have all that it needs to translate Saudi Arabia to the world’s largest AI token exporter.”

Amin also revealed that Saudi Arabia plans to launch and commercialize its own operating system in the coming months, potentially becoming the third country after the US and China to do so.

“One thing I was deciding, whether to show you this here, but we have a big event coming in LEAP and we will commercialize this. In the last meeting that we had with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, he was referring to operating systems, whether using Windows or Mac,” he said.

“Saudi Arabia will be the first country outside the US and China that will commercialize its own operating system,” Amin added.

In January, Humain agreed to a financing framework of up to $1.2 billion to expand AI and digital infrastructure across the Kingdom. The non-binding agreement outlines financing terms to develop up to 250 megawatts of AI data center capacity to serve Humain’s local, regional, and global customers.

In December, the company partnered with Saudi Telecom Co. to form a joint venture focused on developing and operating AI-driven data centers in Saudi Arabia. According to a Tadawul filing, Humain will hold a 51 percent stake in the venture, while stc will own the remaining 49 percent.