• 15 Jul 2013
  • Global

TAQA appoints new VP to head water expansion

TAQA, the global energy company based in Abu Dhabi, has appointed Ahmed Bin Abbood Al Adawi to head the company’s water divisions globally.A UAE national with more than 13 years of experience in international energy, Mr Al Adawi will take up the post as Vice President, Water Development and Projects. He his previous role with TAQA was Director of Business Development and Special Projects for the company’s power and water business. Before joining TAQA, Mr Al Adawi was a business developer at Mubadala. In his new role Mr Al Adawi will report to Frank Perez, Executive Officer and Head of Power & Water.Mr Perez commented: “With a proven record in the energy industry, Ahmed brings with him a wealth of knowledge and experience to his new role. His appointment, along with the introduction of our expansion plans in our water business, demonstrates TAQA’s commitment to develop Abu Dhabi as a global leader for water desalination.”TAQA, one of the largest desalination companies in the world, is majority owner of eight power and water plants across the UAE supplying 98% of Abu Dhabi’s power and water requirements.TAQA recently celebrated the ground breaking of the expansion of its Fujairah 1 Independent Water and Power Plant (IWPP) in the UAE. The expansion, which is expected to be completed in the first half of 2015, will increase the plant’s seawater desalination capacity by 30 million imperial gallons per day (MIGD) to 130 MIGD using reverse osmosis technology. This combined reverse osmosis desalination capacity will make the Fujairah 1 IWPP the largest reverse osmosis desalination facility in the Middle East, and will be essential  meet the expected increase in water demand in the UAE.“As a leading global energy company, we continuously apply emerging technologies to remain in the forefront of our industry. We are particularly excited about the opportunities reverse osmosis technology can offer in the region,” Mr Perez added.The reverse osmosis process involves removing salt from the water using a membrane. Most of the UAE’s existing supply is desalinated using heat from power plants to boil and distil the water. This means water can only be desalinated when power plants are running and there is a direct connection to transfer the heat. Because reverse osmosis runs on electricity, this new type of plant can be built near consumption areas and increasing the security of water supply. Reverse osmosis technology has been progressively developing and is becoming one of the most economical and efficient ways to produce drinking water.Water demand in Abu Dhabi is expected to reach more than 1,300 MIGD by 2030, which will require the construction of more than 770 MIGD of desalination capacity.- ENDS –

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