Algerian Desalination Company (ADC): aiming for a 50% reduction in electricity costs

The company "is gradually deploying cutting-edge technologies designed to reduce electricity consumption significantly," said Mouloud Hachelaf, assistant to the CEO of ADC in charge of communications, on Tuesday in Oran. Speaking on the sidelines of the Renewable Energy, Future Energy and Sustainable Development Exhibition (ERA), which continues at the Oran Convention Centre until 4 February, the official stressed that the highly energy-intensive nature of desalination has led ADC to adopt innovative technological solutions, in particular PX (Pressure Exchanger) technology, also known as energy recovery, he told APS.

These devices enable the pressure generated during the various stages of the desalination process to be recovered and converted into reusable energy, contributing to an estimated 40-50% reduction in electricity consumption, he said. Already operational in five plants in Oran, Tipaza, Boumerdès, El Tarf and Béjaïa, this PX technology will be systematically integrated into future desalination projects. At the same time, ADC favours reverse osmosis, which is considered less energy-intensive than thermal processes, particularly multi-stage distillation (MSF), enabling overall optimisation of the facilities' energy performance. By 2030, the company also aims to integrate a more sustainable energy mix, relying in particular on photovoltaics to partially power desalination plants.

The aim is to cover up to 30% of each site's energy needs using solar power, a project that nevertheless requires significant land area, up to around 30 hectares per station. Pilot projects have already been launched, notably at the Chatt El Hilal station in Aïn Témouchent. Building on these initial experiences, ADC officials now intend to move towards implementation on a larger scale gradually, using a methodical approach aimed at reconciling energy performance, environmental sustainability and water security. On this subject, Brahim Guendouzi said: "Seawater desalination processes consume a lot of electricity. ADC, a subsidiary of the Sonatrach group, has just implemented an innovative process to reduce the energy bills of its plants.

This initiative is part of our energy efficiency programme and will enable our company to join the ranks of the most efficient in its electricity consumption. It will reinforce the efforts undertaken by the public authorities to introduce environmentally friendly practices and promote the rationalisation of energy consumption," he concluded.