Sahara Nature-Based Solutions: Algeria’s Ancestral Water Systems for Climate Resilience and Sustainability

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Nature‑based solutions (NBS) have emerged as a critical strategy for sustainable water resource management, especially in arid and semi‑arid regions where water scarcity is amplified by increasingly erratic rainfall, more frequent extreme weather events, and progressive ecosystem degradation. Algeria, which spans from the Mediterranean littoral to the vast expanses of the Sahara Desert, is endowed with a rich heritage of traditional hydraulic techniques adapted over centuries to the region’s harsh climate [1].

Long before modern hydraulic infrastructures, these techniques leveraged a deep understanding of local hydrology and integrated human settlements within the natural cycles, enabling a remarkable resilience to climatic fluctuations. Within this heritage, the foggaras of Touat, Gourara, and Tidikelt, the ghouts of Oued Souf, and the jessour and water harvesting terraces of pre‑Saharan zones represent powerful embodiments of Algerian ingenuity, combining hydraulic efficiency, climate adaptation, biodiversity protection, and cultural as well as economic value [2].

The foggaras, emblematic of Saharan oasis, illustrate one of the most advanced methods of sustainably mobilizing groundwater without external energy inputs. These consist of gently sloping underground galleries transporting groundwater from aquifer recharge zones to agricultural lands, connected to the surface by vertical wells evenly spaced along their length. This gravity-driven design allows deeply buried water to emerge without mechanical pumping, avoids over-extraction when managed well, and drastically reduces evaporation losses by keeping water underground until it reaches the fields. Importantly, foggaras operate not only on geotechnical and hydrogeological principles but also on robust communal governance: “water measurers,” whose skills are transmitted across generations, regulate water allocation, monitor flow rates, and oversee maintenance. This social‑institutional arrangement has been recognized by UNESCO as intangible cultural heritage and guarantees equitable water distribution even in times of stress [3].

nature-based water management

 

Figure 1: Kasria (Water Distributor) of a Foggara System

Because of these characteristics, foggaras provide a concrete example of how nature-based solutions can enhance community resilience in the face of prolonged droughts or hydrological variability induced by climate change: they facilitate natural aquifer recharge, maintain steady water flows, and sustain oasis agriculture and social life under extreme conditions.

Yet this ancestral system faces growing threats from modern pressures. The widespread drilling of motorized boreholes, often unregulated has led to steep declines in aquifer levels, undermining the functioning of many foggaras and compromising water security for oasis communities. A detailed hydrological and socio‑environmental investigation in the region of Timimoun reveals that such overexploitation is the principal cause for the drawdown of foggaras, endangering their sustainability [4].

Despite these challenges, recent case studies show that local communities are not passive victims; rather, they demonstrate adaptive capacity through restoration efforts, reorganization of water rights, and blending traditional practices with modern techniques. In the study by Salem Idda and colleagues, for example, of the roughly 2,000 foggaras historically present in the oases of Touat, Gourara and Tidikelt, 672 remain functional as of their 2021 survey, delivering a collective perennial flow of about 1.8 m³/s. Meanwhile, the area irrigated in the traditional (foggaras‑fed) sector increased from 9,800 ha in 1980 to over 15,000 ha in 2014 [3].

These trends strongly suggest that rather than being relics frozen in time, foggaras are “living irrigation systems,” evolving in response to changing socio‑economic and environmental conditions. In some instances, communities have formally banned new boreholes in catchment areas, set up associations for collective maintenance, reallocated water shares more equitably, and mobilized collective financial contributions for rehabilitation work [3,5].

Moreover, recent technical innovations are being introduced to support foggaras’ survival under contemporary climate pressures. Studies in the Touat region (e.g. Reggane) show that using solar energy to drive water-lifting systems and combining them with water‑efficient irrigation techniques, profitable high‑value crops, and proper agronomic practices can increase cropped area, improve water savings, raise foggara flow, and significantly boost farmers’ income, improvements quantified at +50% area, +100% water saved, +500% in flow and income in some trials [6].

Such innovations reduce reliance on fossil‑fuel-based pumping, align irrigation practices with limited water availability, and integrate modern environmental engineering with traditional communal water management; a hybrid NBS‑plus‑technology approach. In this way, foggaras become not only symbols of cultural heritage but active components of climate‑adaptation strategies.

Turning to another heritage system, the ghout, typical of eastern Sahara zones demonstrates a different but complementary water‑management philosophy. Instead of tapping deep aquifers, ghouts capitalize on shallow water tables by constructing basins (bowls) where date palms are planted. The excavation, combined with vegetative barriers such as young palms and shrubs that act as windbreaks and sand stabilizers, creates a favorable microclimate in which evaporation is reduced, soils are stabilized, and humidity is maintained locally. This design significantly mitigates the harshness of Sahara desert conditions, providing a natural buffer against extreme aridity and thermal stress.

ghout in algeria

Figure 2: Aerial View of a Ghout System in the Sahara

By reducing water losses and stabilizing soils, ghouts contribute to preserving oasis ecosystems and sustaining agricultural production even under conditions of rising temperatures and increased aridity conditions projected under climate change scenarios. The maintenance of such moist, vegetated micro‑environments supports biodiversity, safeguards associated flora and fauna adapted to oasis ecosystems, and sustains vital ecosystem services such as local climate regulation, water storage, and sustainable agriculture. As such, ghouts constitute a nature-based adaptation strategy tailored to extreme environments, offering a functional alternative to energy‑intensive irrigation systems. In certain cases, ghout-like systems have been recognized by international bodies (e.g. FAO) among Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems (GIAHS), reinforcing their value as integrated socio‑ecological systems.

In pre‑Saharan zones, traditional water‑harvesting structures such as jessour (earthen or stone walls built across slopes) and terraced fields further enrich the palette of ancestral NBS. These structures capture and slow down runoff from episodic rains, retain fertile sediment, promote infiltration, reduce soil erosion, and help recharge superficial aquifers. In a climate where precipitation events are unpredictable but increasingly intense, such systems provide a low‑cost, ecologically appropriate, and socially embedded response for water conservation, soil protection, and agricultural resilience. Their adaptability, reliance on local materials, and alignment with community practices make them especially valuable under changing climatic conditions, offering rural populations tools for food security, water management, and risk reduction.

The benefits of deploying and maintaining these traditional nature-based solutions are multiple and synergistic. First, they contribute to regulating microclimates: shading, vegetation, and soil moisture help mitigate heat stress, reduce evaporation, and moderate desert temperatures. Second, they sustain biodiversity by preserving oasis ecosystems, endemic plants (e.g. date palms and companion crops), soil microorganisms, and wildlife adapted to these environments.

Third, they maintain agro‑ecosystems in which trees, crops, and soils interact in a balanced, regenerative manner, ensuring long-term agricultural productivity without excessive reliance on external inputs. Fourth, they support local economies: high-quality dates, fruit and vegetable crops, and perhaps agro‑products for niche markets, plus potential for eco-tourism and cultural heritage tourism centered on the ancient hydraulic systems. Fifth, they anchor social cohesion and cultural identity through the transmission of knowledge, customary water‑sharing institutions, community governance, and locally rooted agricultural practices.

Recent studies reinforce these points and quantify some benefits. In the region of Adrar (Sahara), for example, a 2023 investigation documented a foggara  still in perfect condition, feeding palm groves that produce dates of exceptional quality, a living testimony of resistance against intensive groundwater drilling and unsustainable agriculture expansion [7].

In the case of the oasis of El Guerrara, research covering 1990–2019 demonstrated that ancestral floodwater management techniques, including a 1.8 km‑long dam, 10 km of seguias, and underground recharge wells, succeeded in capturing flash floods of the Zegrir River to recharge aquifers homogeneously and irrigate some 80,000 palm trees [8]. These documented examples show the capacity of traditional NBS to adapt to hydrological extremes, re‑use episodic floodwater, and maintain water security under climate stress.

Another notable development is the renewed interest in reviving and reinforcing foggaras using renewable energy and modern water‑saving irrigation methods. The 2023 sustainable‑irrigation project in Timimoun, restoring the Amghir foggara, reconnected water to 8 previously unirrigated gardens, benefited 32 farmers, and trained 22 young people in maintenance and heritage preservation [9]. Such initiatives not only safeguard cultural heritage but also reinforce local adaptive capacity, strengthen livelihoods, and provide a replicable model for other oases.

Nevertheless, the sustainability of these ancestral systems cannot be taken for granted. Several conditions must be met and supported by policy. First, modern groundwater pumping must be regulated strictly to prevent overexploitation and ensure aquifer recharge keeps pace with abstraction. Without sound regulation and monitoring, foggaras, and similar systems, will continue to degrade as has been documented in several studies reporting that many traditional galleries are drying up or abandoned [10].

Second, the transmission of technical and institutional knowledge must be supported through training, documentation, and inclusion of younger generations, especially water‑measurers, maintenance workers, and community governance actors to ensure that water‑allocation rules, maintenance practices, and customary governance endure.

Third, integration into public policy is crucial. Traditional NBS should not be sidelined in favour of large-scale hydraulic projects (dams, inter-basin transfers, or desalination) but rather recognized, financed, and supported as complementary, sustainable and low‑impact options for water security. Fourth, hybrid approaches combining ancestral techniques and modern technology such as solar‑powered pumping (when needed), sensor-based piezometric monitoring, regulated drip irrigation, participatory mapping, data-driven water‑management plans can enhance efficiency, transparency, and resilience under climate change.

The economic and social potential of restoring and valorizing these systems is significant. Legal recognition of foggaras, ghouts, jessour, and associated infrastructures as part of the national heritage and as functional water‑management systems can unlock public funding, international aid, climate adaptation financing, and incentive mechanisms for their maintenance. Cultural and eco-tourism linked to unique hydraulic heritage can provide alternative income streams, supporting livelihoods, diversifying local economies, and enhancing social resilience. At the same time, these systems contribute to combating desertification, stabilizing microclimates, safeguarding ecosystem services, and reinforcing community-based climate adaptation strategies.

A comprehensive analysis of Algeria’s traditional NBS reveals that these ancestral systems remain deeply relevant to the country’s hydrological, climatic, ecological, cultural, and socio-economic realities. Their efficiency, renewable-nature, biodiversity and ecosystem benefits, low energy footprint, cultural value, and alignment with sustainable development objectives make them exemplary models, reproducible, modernizable, and resilient.

In a context of escalating water stress, climate change impacts, and growing demand for sustainable development, rehabilitating and integrating foggaras, ghouts, jessour and other ancestral hydraulic infrastructures becomes not only a matter of heritage preservation but a strategic imperative. These systems should be viewed not as relics of the past, but as dynamic, living tools for climate adaptation, sustainable water management, ecosystem stewardship, and cultural and economic development. They show that human ingenuity, when aligned with natural processes, can offer integrated and long-lasting solutions to the challenges of climate change, water scarcity, and environmental degradation, and deliver multiple co-benefits for people, ecosystems, and future generations.

References

[1] Santos, E. Nature-Based Solutions for Water Management in Europe: What Works, What Does Not, and What’s Next? Water 2025,17,2193. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152193

[2] Boualem Remini, Bachir Achour.The foggara in Algeria: A hydraulic world heritage.January 2010, Revue Des Sciences De L’Eau 23 (2):105-117.

[3] Idda, S., Bonté, B., Kuper, M., & Mansour, H. (2021). Revealing the Foggara as a Living Irrigation System through an Institutional Analysis: Evidence from Oases in the Algerian Sahara. International Journal of the Commons, 15(1), pp. 431–448. DOI: https://doi. org/10.5334/ijc.1128

[4] Zeyneb Moulay Omar. The effect of boreholes on the traditional modes of distribution of irrigation water in the South of Algeria, case study Foggaras of Timimoun. Pan African University Institute for Water and Energy Sciences (Incl. Climate Change). Master in Water Engineering track. Academic Year: 2015-2016

[5] :Pascual,R.; Piana, L.;Bhat, S.U.;Castro,P.F.;Corbera, J.; Cummings,D.;Delgado,C.;Eades,E.; Fensham,R.J.; Fernández-Martínez, M.;et al. The Cultural Ecohydrogeology of Mediterranean-Climate Springs: A Global Review with Case Studies. Environments2024,11,110. https:// doi.org/10.3390/environments 11060110

[6] https://www.aljest.net/index.php/aljest/article/view/310?utm

[7].https://www.emkp.org/foggaras-water-production-in-the-adrar-palm-grove-oases-sahara-algeria/?utm

[8] https://www.larhyss.net/ojs/index.php/larhyss/article/view/703?utm

[9] https://www.undp.org/fr/algeria/blog/sustainable-irrigation-thanks-foggaras-algerian-sahara?utm

[10] Mohamed, B., Remini, B. Water wells’ exploitation and its impact on the drying up of foggaras. Appl Water Sci 7, 349–359 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13201-014-0250-2

When Minimalism Backfires: The Hows and Whys

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Many regards minimalism to be a backlash wave, a ‘first world’ solution to modern consumerism, considering that some parts of the world still live way below the poverty line and can’t access the goods that we reject consciously. Meanwhile, in regions like MENA (the Middle East and North Africa), resources are scarce, and the conversation takes on a whole different tone.

Moreover, according to the latest 2025 data from World Bank, around 808 million people worldwide live in “extreme poverty,” defined under the new international poverty line of $3.00 a day.

minimalist lifestyle

However, this is precisely the reason the Western world has embraced minimalism. It is mature enough to realize that the link between possession and happiness is lost once we cross the poverty line and ensure all our basic needs are met. Food, shelter, utilities, etc. In regions confronting water shortage and high energy demand, minimalism is increasingly framed not as an aesthetic but as a sustainability strategy.

Objects don’t fulfill us. Unfortunately, that has been well established by people suffering from hoarding disorder. But there’s another side to the coin. Can minimalism meant to sustain actually harm psychological or environmental well-being?

Less Isn’t More? Enter, Overminimalism

Minimalism in its healthy form can indeed calm an overstimulated nervous system. Get control in a world where so little is controlled.

But minimalism can also become something else entirely: an attempt to fill, mask, or control an emotional void. And when sustainability messages are reduced to “own nothing,” they risk becoming disconnected from cultural realities in places where resource efficiency is the true goal.

At its core, the question is not HOW MUCH a person owns but WHY they feel compelled to own so little. In other words, ‘too much of a good thing’…

The Emotional Void Behind the Aesthetic

From a psychological perspective, extreme minimalism may serve as a defensive strategy. You’re lucky if you’ve never anger-cleansed your space.

Many of us describe a sense of “peace” in empty rooms, but sometimes that peace is the silence of suppressed emotions. And in the context of environmental behavior, this can create a misleading impression that sustainability equals deprivation, rather than mindful use of resources.

People experiencing chronic loneliness, childhood emotional neglect, attachment disruptions, or trauma often develop what psychologists call deactivating strategies, i.e.,  attempts to minimize emotional stimulation to avoid discomfort. It can take both sides of the behavioural spectrum and lead to extreme minimalism or hoarding.

zero waste kitchen

When “Less” Becomes Control

Research shows that individuals with low tolerance of uncertainty often tightly regulate their physical environments to compensate for internal chaos. In sustainability terms, this can lead to rigid “rules” rather than adaptable, community-focused habits, i.e., the opposite of long-term ecological resilience.

Aesthetic ≠ Identity. Quit Performing

The overlap between rigid minimalism and perfectionistic coping is well supported in clinical literature. Perfectionism is rarely about wanting things to be perfect; it is about avoiding feelings of shame, inadequacy, and exposure. It is inherently self-punishing. Hence, the rise in online performance and worldwide use of online editor apps.

This mirrors the cultural tension between idealized ‘aesthetic minimalism’ and practical sustainability efforts that prioritize durability, repair, and resource efficiency instead of sterile perfection.

When minimalism fills an emotional void rather than resolving it, it stops being a lifestyle and becomes a symptom. And like any symptom, it calls not for stricter rules or emptier rooms, but for deeper understanding.

Why Algeria Should Become the Regional Hub for Predictive Drought and Water Modeling

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North Africa is entering a new climate era defined by chronic drought, accelerating warming, and unprecedented pressure on water systems that were never designed for this level of stress. Over the last decade, the region has experienced a succession of dry years, but recent analyses from the Copernicus Global Drought Observatory show that since late 2023 the drought signal in northern Africa has been both multi-annual and structurally deeper than past cycles, with pronounced precipitation deficits, rising evapotranspiration, and abnormal land-surface temperatures. These dynamics have led to measurable impacts on groundwater recharge, agricultural productivity, and reservoir inflows, creating a complex context for long-term water management [1-2].

climate change adaptation in algeria

In parallel to this vulnerability, the rapid maturation of artificial intelligence for Earth-system monitoring now offers a unique opportunity for North African countries to transform how they anticipate and manage climate stress. Machine learning models, especially hybrid methods that integrate physical hydrological equations with AI-driven pattern recognition are capable of fusing disparate climate and hydrological data sources into powerful prediction systems. Peer-reviewed studies published over the last two years show that ensemble learning, LSTM networks, and physics-guided deep learning models can deliver high-resolution soil-moisture projections, seasonal drought forecasts, and anomaly detection across semi-arid regions with increasing accuracy. Satellite inputs such as MODIS and Sentinel vegetation indices, GPM precipitation, GRACE terrestrial water storage, and land-surface temperature products enhance predictive skill even where in-situ monitoring networks are sparse, an important advantage for North African countries. At the same time, recent literature on extreme-event prediction emphasizes the importance of trustworthy AI, interpretability, and uncertainty quantification, ensuring that these systems support effective decision-making [3-5].

Within this evolving landscape, Algeria stands out as the most strategically positioned country to host a regional hub for predictive drought and water modeling. Its geography spans nearly every climatic zone of North Africa, from the Mediterranean coast to the High Plateaus and deep into the Sahara, offering an unparalleled natural laboratory to train and validate models under highly heterogeneous conditions. Algeria also benefits from full coverage of global satellite missions and the Copernicus program, whose open-access data provide high-quality drought indicators for the region. These assets reduce traditional barriers faced by developing countries, making it technically feasible to deploy advanced AI systems without prohibitive investments in new observational infrastructure. Moreover, Algerian universities, national research centres, and emerging AI programs have demonstrated growing scientific capacity, enabling the country to lead collaborative initiatives with neighbouring states and international partners.

Establishing a regional hub in Algeria would involve building an integrated data backbone that merges satellite products, national meteorological and hydrological station networks, reservoir records, land-use datasets, and soil-moisture measurements, following standards already used by global drought observatories. Hybrid AI–hydrology models could then generate drought indices, reservoir inflow forecasts, agricultural water-demand projections, and early warning signals for emerging climate anomalies [6].

These systems should eventually feed into operational decision-support platforms designed for water authorities, civil-protection agencies, farmers, and urban planners, making climate information directly actionable. Capacity-building efforts would be essential, enabling Algerian institutions to develop, maintain, and improve the predictive models while positioning the country as a service provider for neighbouring regions. Such cooperation aligns closely with the principles and priorities repeatedly outlined in UNFCCC regional climate initiatives.

The potential benefits are substantial. Predictive drought modeling can support more efficient reservoir operations, optimize irrigation practices, reduce economic losses in climate-sensitive sectors, and assist utilities in anticipating water demand under changing seasonal conditions. It can also enable earlier and more targeted adaptation actions, helping authorities plan strategic responses to hydrological stress before it becomes critical [7]. Regionally, a specialized Algerian hub could act as a shared climate-adaptation knowledge base, allowing Maghreb and Sahel countries to benefit from standardized drought-monitoring methods, harmonized early-warning systems, and common data protocols.

Any deployment of advanced AI systems must be accompanied by strong governance and methodological safeguards. Data gaps in remote areas, uneven gauge coverage, and the risk of model bias necessitate hybridization with physical models and continuous validation. Transparency in model design, open documentation, and user-centred interfaces are essential for ensuring trust and widespread adoption. Clear governance arrangements for data sharing, ethical use, and inter-agency coordination will help ensure that advanced forecasting strengthens institutional capacity across the region [8].

Given the combined pressures of climate change and the accelerating development of AI capabilities, the moment is ideal for Algeria to assume a leadership role in regional drought and water modeling. International bodies such as the UNFCCC, the Adaptation Fund, the Green Climate Fund, WMO, and the Copernicus program have strong incentives to support such an initiative: it aligns with global adaptation priorities, delivers tangible benefits, and enhances climate resilience across a strategically important region. If properly supported, Algeria could emerge as a central node in a North African climate-intelligence network—a place where satellite observation, machine learning, hydrological science, and policy converge to secure the region’s water future.

References

[1] Adeyeri, O.E. Hydrology and Climate Change in Africa: Contemporary Challenges, and Future Resilience Pathways. Water 2025, 17, 2247. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/w17152247

[2] Vecchia P. Ravinandrasana, Christian L. E. Franzke. The first emergence of unprecedented global water scarcity in the Anthropocene. Nature Communications volume 16, Article number: 8281 (2025)

[3] Duan, Y.; Bo, Y.; Yao, X.; Chen, G.; Liu, K.; Wang, S.; Yang, B.; Li, X. A Deep Learning Framework for Long-Term Soil Moisture-Based Drought Assessment Across the Major Basins in China. Remote Sens. 2025, 17, 1000. https://doi.org/10.3390/ rs17061000

[4] Liu,J.; Liu, T.; Huang, L.; Ren, Y.; He, P. Next-Generation Drought Forecasting: Hybrid AI Models for Climate Resilience. Remote Sens. 2025, 17, 3402. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/rs17203402

[5] Geng Q, Yan S, Li Q and Zhang C (2024) Enhancing data-driven soil moisture modeling with physically-guided LSTM networks. Front. For. Glob. Change 7:1353011. doi: 10.3389/ffgc.2024.1353011

[6] Bounab,R.; Boutaghane,H.; Boulmaiz, T.; Tramblay, Y. Comparison of Machine Learning Algorithms for Daily Runoff Forecasting with Global Rainfall Products in Algeria. Atmosphere 2025, 16, 213. https:// doi.org/10.3390/atmos16020213

[7] Liu,J.; Li, M.; Li, R.; Shalamzari, M.J.; Ren, Y.; Silakhori, E. Comprehensive Assessment of Drought Susceptibility Using Predictive Modeling, Climate Change Projections, and Land Use Dynamics for Sustainable Management. Land 2025, 14, 337. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/land14020337

[8] Nastoska, A.; Jancheska, B.; Rizinski, M.; Trajanov, D. Evaluating Trustworthiness in AI: Risks, Metrics, and Applications Across Industries. Electronics 2025, 14, 2717. https:// doi.org/10.3390/electronics14132717

How Electrical Contactors Reduce Power Loss in Modern Energy Systems

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Energy management has become a global priority as both consumers and industries work to reduce costs and improve system efficiency. Much of the conversation focuses on renewable sources or advanced automation platforms, yet some of the most meaningful savings happen at the component level—where electricity is controlled, switched, and distributed. One such device is the electrical contactor, a workhorse of modern power systems that quietly determines how efficiently your equipment uses energy.

a technician working in industrial settings

If you’ve ever wondered why some machines consume power even when idle, or how large facilities minimize unnecessary electrical waste, the answer often begins with understanding how contactors regulate the flow of electricity. In an era of increasing energy awareness, knowing how these devices work—and how they contribute to reducing power loss—can help you design or operate smarter electrical systems.

What an Electrical Contactor Is and How It Works

An electrical contactor is essentially an electromechanical switch capable of controlling high-current loads safely and repeatedly. Unlike simple wall switches or low-power relays, contactors are engineered for resilience, frequent cycling, and heavy-duty operation. Internally, the device contains a coil that generates a magnetic field when energized, pulling a movable armature that closes the main contacts and completes the power circuit. When the coil deactivates, the armature returns to its original position, and the contacts split apart, disconnecting the load.

This relatively simple mechanism enables the contactor to provide fast and reliable switching for large motors, HVAC components, lighting circuits, heaters, and industrial machinery. Because the control circuit uses low voltage while the load circuit handles high power, an electrical contactor also acts as a safeguard, isolating human operators and control systems from dangerous currents. This combination of safety, durability, and repeatable operation is what makes contactors indispensable across modern electrical infrastructures.

Why Contactors Matter in Energy Management

Effective energy management isn’t just about tracking consumption—it’s about controlling when and how electrical loads operate. Contactors help by ensuring equipment draws power only when necessary. Without automated switching, motors, lighting, and other loads often run longer than intended. A properly configured contactor prevents this by fully disconnecting idle equipment instead of leaving it in standby, where it can still consume energy.

Contactors also enhance efficiency through automation. When paired with sensors, timers, or control systems, they switch loads based on real usage patterns, conditions, or occupancy. This reduces unnecessary runtime and keeps energy use aligned with actual demand. Their ability to handle frequent cycles without degrading performance makes the electrical contactor especially valuable in systems requiring precise, timed control.

Minimizing Power Loss Through Better Switching

Power loss often happens in overlooked ways—equipment left energized when idle, switching components that generate excess heat, or worn contacts that increase resistance over time. A properly selected contactor helps prevent many of these issues. By fully opening the circuit when a load is off, it eliminates hidden standby losses that can add up significantly over long periods.

Many modern contactors designs also aim to reduce waste through lower-energy coils or improved contact materials that limit resistive losses. While specific features vary, the core idea remains the same: an efficient switching device lowers the system’s overall energy overhead. When multiplied across many loads, especially in large facilities, the cumulative savings can be substantial.

Where Contactors Are Used in Today’s Systems

Contactors are used across many industries and building systems, often serving as the backbone of load control. In manufacturing, they regulate motors that power conveyors, pumps, and compressors—ensuring these machines run only when needed. In commercial buildings, contactors manage centralized lighting and HVAC equipment, enabling automated schedules that reduce energy waste during off-peak hours.

They also play a key role in automation and control panels, where reliable switching supports remote operation, protection, and coordinated system behavior. As facilities adopt more energy-efficient and smart-building technologies, contactors provide the stable, predictable switching needed to integrate seamlessly with digital controllers, sensors, and building management systems.

Common Mistakes and Their Impact on Energy Loss

Using the wrong type of contactor can limit energy-management performance and create avoidable inefficiencies.

  • Avoid undersized contactors: Selecting a device with insufficient current or voltage capacity can cause overheating, early wear, and increased resistance, all of which reduce efficiency and shorten lifespan.
  • Match the contactor to the duty cycle: Standard models may fail prematurely in systems with frequent start-stop operation. High-cycling loads require contactors designed for repeated switching to prevent arcing and performance issues.
  • Consider coil power consumption: Coils draw energy whenever energized, and older or inefficient designs can add unnecessary overhead—especially in systems with many active contactors.
  • Use proper arc suppression for high-power or DC loads: Inadequate suppression leads to contact erosion, losses, and reduced service life, making proper specification essential.
  • Inspect and maintain regularly: Routine checks ensure reliable operation and help prevent failures that can increase energy waste over time.

Practical Ways to Use Contactors for Better Energy Efficiency

Improving energy efficiency starts with understanding how an electrical contactor can optimize the way your system uses power.

  • Assess your load requirements and usage patterns: Identify equipment that stays energized unnecessarily or operates longer than needed, and determine where controlled switching can reduce idle consumption.
  • Use contactors to automate or manage load control: Integrating contactors into key circuits allows you to disconnect loads completely when not in use, preventing standby power loss.
  • Select a contactor suited to your load: Match the device to your load type, current rating, voltage, and switching frequency. High-cycling or high-power systems require contactors designed for durability and proper insulation.
  • Incorporate automation when possible: Pair contactors with timers, sensors, or load-based controls so circuits activate only when needed, keeping energy use aligned with real demand.
  • Maintain and inspect regularly: Routine checks help ensure reliable switching, extend lifespan, and preserve efficiency over time.

Applications of Contactors in Modern Facilities

Application Area Energy-Efficiency Benefit
Industrial motors Reduces idle runtime; ensures safe, frequent switching
HVAC systems Automates compressors, fans, and pumps to match demand
Lighting banks Centralized control prevents unnecessary nighttime usage
Automated buildings Enables smart load management informed by sensors and schedules

These examples illustrate that the value of an electrical contactor goes beyond switching—it becomes a tool for strategic energy planning.

The Evolving Role of Contactors in Energy-Aware Systems

As facilities move toward smarter, more integrated energy strategies, reliable switching components have become increasingly important. Contactors remain essential because they offer predictable operation and flexible control, and even with advanced digital systems, the physical act of connecting and disconnecting power still relies on robust electromechanical devices. Many modern solutions, including those designed by CHINT, continue to support this need by focusing on durability and consistent performance.

In smart buildings, contactors act as the link between digital commands and real electrical loads, enabling demand response, peak-load reduction, and automated energy mapping. Their ability to withstand harsh industrial environments and frequent cycling makes them a dependable choice for maintaining efficiency in complex electrical networks, especially as manufacturers develop designs suited for evolving energy-management demands.

Conclusion

In the broader journey toward efficient and responsible energy use, the electrical contactor plays a surprisingly influential role. By regulating the flow of electricity to motors, HVAC systems, lighting banks, and other high-power loads, it prevents unnecessary consumption and significantly reduces power loss. When contactors are properly selected, maintained, and integrated into automated systems, they become powerful tools for improving reliability, minimizing waste, and ensuring that equipment operates only when needed.

Whether you are designing a new electrical installation or optimizing an existing one, understanding how contactors support energy management can lead to smarter decisions and more efficient operations. Paying attention to these essential components can deliver long-lasting benefits—both in cost savings and in building a more sustainable electrical system.

إعادة تدوير النفايات في المملكة العربية السعودية

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مؤخرا بدء الإهتمام بمفهوم “إعادة تدوير النفايات” في المملكة العربية السعودية. حيث تنتج المملكة مايقارب ال 15 مليون طن من النفايات البلدية الصلبة سنويا، و بمعدل 1.4 كيلوغرام لكل شخص! ومن المتوقع أن يتضاعف هذا العدد (مع إزدياد التعداد السكاني في المملكة بنسبة 3.4 ) بحلول العام 2033م إلى 30 مليون طن سنويا!  وجدير بالذكر أن معظم مصادر النفايات هي نفايات بقايا الطعام حيث تشكل حوالي 40 إلى51% و تليها النفايات البلاستيكية 5-17% و النفايات الورقية و الورق المقوى  النفايات من بقايا الزجاج 3-5% و بقايا الخشب 2-8% و بقايا الأقمشة 2-6% و بقايا الحديد2-8% وهذا يعتمد على نوع الأنشطة وكثافتها في المناطق التي شملتها الدراسة.

saudi-arabia-recycling

يعتبر التدوير في بداية مراحله في المملكة العربية السعودية، وحاليا تتركز أعمال التدوير حوال إعادة تدوير المعادن والورق المقوى والذي يشمل 10-15% من مجمل النفايات المجمعة من القطاع غير الرسمي، حيث يقوم عمال النظافة بفرز النفايات القابلة للتدوير من حاويات القمامة الموزعة في المدن، التي تصل ذروة التدوير في بعضها إلى حوالي 30% من مجمل النفايات في بعض المدن. وتتم عمليات فرز وتدوير النفايات في  بعض مجمعات النفايات التي تغطي حوالي 40%  من مجمل العمليات الرسمية و غير الرسمية في قطاع تدوير النفايات.  وتشمل  عمليات التدوير قوارير الزجاج، علب الألمنيوم، علب الحديد و الأوراق و قوارير البلاستيك و الورق المقوى و إطارات السيارات التالفة.

التدوير في المملكة العربية السعودية

تخيل أنه بالإمكان تقليل حوالي 45% ألف كيلو جول من إجمالي الطاقة المستهلكة عند تدويرالزجاج و المعادن من المخلفات البلدية! وهذا يعني أن مقدار الطاقة الموفرة يمكن أن تستخدم لإنتاج مواذ قابلة لإعادة التدوير. وفي بحث مشابه آخرذكر أن الفوائد المجنية فقط من تدوير الزجاج والمعادن و الألمنيوم و الورق المقوى في مدينة مكة المكرمكة، وسيتم توفير  5.6 من انبعاثات غاز الميثلن و 140.1 مليون طن من غاز ثاني أكسيد الكربون. علاوة على ذلك أن حوالي 13 مليون ريال سعودي من الموفورات المالية للإقتصاد الوطني في مدينة مكة المكرمة من عمليات إعادة تدوير الزجاج و المعادن و الالمنيوم والورق المقوى.

waste generation during Hajj

آفاق المستقبل

تحتاج عمليات تجميع النفايات حاليا في المملكة العربية السعودية إلى نموذج مستدام ومترابط في عمليات تجميع بقايا النفايات و فصل المواد القابلة لإعادة التدوير. وكبداية يمكن للمملكة إعادة تدوير الالمنيوم و قوارير البولي إيثلين تيرفليت لإعادة التدوير في المدن الكبرى مثل جدة والدمام و الرياض و مكة المكرمة و المدينة المنورة حيث يعتبر هذا خيار إستراتيجي للمملكة في طريقها نحو ترشيد إستهلاك المواد الأولية الثمينة مثل الوقود الأحفوري. إضافة لذلك سيتم الاستفادة القصوى من الموادة القابلة لاعادة التدوير كالورق و الزجاج والمعادن و الألمنيوم وخفض النفايات الملقاة في مكبات النفايات وبالتالي خفض الكلفة البيئية الضارة وتعظيم الفائدة للإقتصاد الوطني. 

ترجمة

إيمان عبدالله أمان مختصة في سياسات وتشريعات الطاقة، باحثة ومهتمة في مواضيع مثل أمن الطاقة وتحديات المناخ، الطاقة المتجددة ، التنمية المستدامة وطريق الى تحقيق اقتصاد خالي من الكربون وسياسات ترشيد استهلاك الطاقة وحفظ البيئة

7 Types Of Sustainable Food Packaging

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Most of the food you buy and eat comes in a package. Therefore, packaging is an essential part of the food supply chain. But, a lot of it is made from plastic. Nowadays, people have begun to prioritize making the world greener as they’ve grown more conscious of the necessity of sustainability. This green movement includes making food packaging more environment-friendly through various methods, such as compostable packaging and many other forms listed below.

different types of sustainable food packaging

While some progress is being made in terms of moving away from plastic, the said material is still widely used. There’s a long way to go. Thankfully, there are many environment-friendly packaging options on the market today. Given the increasing pressure from the public to go green, more sustainable packaging options will emerge.

That said, here’s a list of the types of sustainable food packaging manufacturers can use today:

1. Glass

Glass is ubiquitous and is utilized for a wide range of purposes. It’s also recyclable and reusable. Therefore, glass can be a good alternative to plastic for food packaging.

For example, when you buy a glass jar, you may keep it for a long time without worrying about it rusting or contaminating your food. All you need to do is ensure it’s cleaned regularly. Glass water bottles are also an excellent substitute for the usual plastic ones.

However, the biggest issue with glass jars is that glass lids aren’t leak-proof. Therefore, you want to look for glass containers with bamboo lids. Nonetheless, unless the glass cracks, it’ll probably survive for a long time. Once you’re done using it, you may easily recycle it. Therefore, glass is good for the environment.

2. Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA)

In addition to being often used in adhesives, PVA is also widely utilized in emulsion polymerization, film, and packaging production.

PVA is ideal for film production because it has excellent tensile strength. PVA resins also exhibit great adhesive and bonding properties. The magnitude of hydrolysis influences the film’s water sensitivity. With more hydrolysis, water resistance rises.

If you’re looking for a sustainable packaging material for your products, you can look for reliable PVA suppliers near you and choose the most suitable one for your business.

3. Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is an extremely long-lasting material. It’s also rust-free and heat-resistant, which makes it ideal for food storage.

There are several stainless steel packaging types to choose from. For example, you may buy stainless steel lunch boxes, which usually include silicone seals or lids to prevent leaks. Stainless steel is also used to produce lids for glass jars, which are used at home for storing items, such as sugar and flour.

Consider purchasing stainless steel storage containers from reputable manufacturers. Although this material is generally robust, purchasing a container from a random brand or manufacturer may not be a good idea.

4. Bamboo

Bamboo is another biodegradable packaging material that’s strong and resistant to high temperatures. This material may be seen in food packaging lids, breadboxes, and serving bowls.

On the one hand, the downside of using packaging made from bamboo is its lack of durability. The toughness of bamboo and other plant fibers isn’t comparable to that of glass or steel.

5. Rice Husk

This is one of the least-known sustainable packaging alternatives. When most people think of rice, they don’t think of eco-friendly packaging. Yet, rice husk is an excellent material in this regard. It’s a byproduct of rice farming, which makes it quite inexpensive. Rice husk is known to be bio-absorbent, which means it can absorb contaminants from its immediate surroundings.

6. Gelatin Film

Because of its affordability, gelatin is quickly becoming one of the most preferred sustainable packaging materials. It’s a sturdy film-forming substance, making it excellent for food packaging. Furthermore, gelatin is said to contain antimicrobial cellulose, which aids in the prevention of pathogen growth. This reduces the spread of food-borne infections. These properties make gelatin a safer option than plastic.

recycled paper

7. Paper Or Cardboard

This is one of the most used materials for packaging food. Paper boxes are both biodegradable and inexpensive. Food won’t be affected since paper boxes don’t contain harmful substances. They’re also lightweight, making them easy to transport. These features make paper boxes a packaging material of choice for most food suppliers.

You may have observed that most fast-food packaging is composed of paper boxes. They utilize this material because they’re inexpensive and recyclable. They’re also commonly used in shipping and logistics for this reason. If you want to know which shipping method is the best for you, check out this article.

However, one disadvantage to using paper or cardboard boxes are that they’re easier to damage than other materials.

Conclusion

Players in the food supply chain are under pressure to utilize green packaging. Given the mounting evidence against the usage of plastic, this is a positive development. Fortunately, there are several green packaging solutions. All the alternatives mentioned above have their pros and cons. However, for the benefit of the environment, all food manufacturers and suppliers globally should consider embracing these green packaging options.

Such types of eco-friendly food packaging materials will increase in number and become less expensive as technology develops. Perhaps, in the future, people will abandon plastic completely.

Energy Efficiency in the Arab World: Key Findings

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Energy efficiency is the most cost effective means of reducing the energy intensity of the economy and promoting a low-carbon future in the Arab world. Energy efficiency further helps Arab states meet their SDGs on combating climate change and its impacts (SDG13), as it cuts down on GHG emissions resulting from excessive and inefficient consumption of energy.

energy consumption in bahrain

Per capita energy conservation in Bahrain is among the highest worldwide

Energy efficiency improvements can save governments, companies, and citizens billions of dollars in the Arab region from reduced energy bills, while at the same time quickly reducing carbon footprints – a win-win solution. Many countries in the region are now moving ahead with new laws, policies, and regulations to improve energy consumption but much more needs to be done to accelerate results and achieve SDG 7 on sustainable energy.

Arab Future Energy Index

The Arab Future Energy Index provides a detailed overview on the progress of 20 Arab countries in their transition toward an efficient energy market post recent plunges in oil prices and economic turmoil in the region. The 2017 AFEX report uses over 30 indicators to rank Arab countries on progress made to achieve energy efficiency targets based on regulatory and institutional structures, financial innovations, policy frameworks and public and private investments. AFEX rankings show important trends and emerging pathways to a low-carbon, sustainable energy future in the region.

AFEX Energy Efficiency Results 2017

Arab countries’ commitment to increase energy efficiency through their various adopted or planned energy efficiency strategies and National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs) demonstrate their commitment to the UN’s SDG on energy (SDG7) that calls for global affordable, sustainable, and reliable access to clean and modern energy sources.

The 2017 AFEX report monitors Arab countries’ progress in fostering energy efficiency initiatives and strategies in line with established UN SDGs. As of 2017, fifteen out of twenty Arab states studied in the AFEX have developed a national energy efficiency plan that articulates both short term and long term strategies to set state level policy goals for reducing energy consumption as well as to establish and implement effective EE initiatives and programs.

Several Arab countries have spelled out their energy efficiency policies in national plans, such as Saudi Arabia, Morocco, Kuwait, and Tunisia. Many other Arab countries, however, have developed National Energy Efficiency Action Plans (NEEAPs), based on the Arab Energy Efficiency Guideline issued by the Arab Ministerial Council for Electricity (AMCE).

RCREEE was mandated by the AMCE to monitor the qualitative progress and quantitative impact of NEEAPs and publish its findings in regular annual reports. Several Arab countries have evaluated their first NEEAP and are currently developing their second NEEAP, building on lessons learned from previous plans. Lebanon, taking a significant step forward, has evaluated its first NEEAP (2011– 2015) and in 2016 adopted its second NEEAP (2016–2020).

Energy Efficiency in Arab Region – Key Findings

In general, electricity and fuel prices in the Arab region remain well below the global average, as most Arab countries have spent significant portions of their GDPs on providing subsidies for electricity and fuel, resulting in a financial burden for these countries, namely after the 2014 drop in oil prices. These low prices of energy have greatly affected the level of energy consumption in the region leading to extremely high energy intensities and electricity consumption per capita.

Furthermore, the high level of energy subsidies implemented in the region, greatly hinders any incentive at the consumer side to reduce their energy consumption and invest in energy efficient technologies. Nonetheless, the recent drops in oil prices has, in part, encouraged Arab countries to undertake various reform actions and make progress in reducing their energy subsidies.

The region witnessed an unprecedented wave of energy subsidy reforms as multiple Arab countries namely, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, and the UAE have enacted policies to reduce electricity subsidies and increase fuel prices. Although these reforms were more significant in some countries than others, electricity and fuel prices remain well below the global average in most Arab countries.

The region continues to witness progress in implementing policies to phase out inefficient lighting, which is exigent as lighting is responsible for nearly 34% of electricity consumption in the Arab region. Many countries’ energy efficiency plans have provided financial incentives for end users to switch to more efficient lighting, for example CFL or LED, or enacted bans on the sale of incandescent light bulbs.

Although various Arab countries have adopted legislation and energy efficiency measures relating to appliances’ energy standards and labeling namely for air conditioners and refrigerators, these standards and labels still lack adequate enforcement and diversification to include a wider range of appliances.

Arab country’s still need to further develop and implement energy efficiency regulation, initiatives, and programs to reduce energy consumption in the transportation sector as it is responsible for around 30% of final energy consumption in the region. Although various countries such as Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Tunisia and the UAE have ongoing or planned programs to improve public transportation, the national energy strategies of most Arab countries do not include energy reduction targets or reforms for the transportation sector. For example, tax reductions on hybrid cars, the enforcement of vehicle emissions regulations, and the promotion of public transport are notably absent.

Implementing national energy efficiency strategies hinges on stable sources of financing and legislation, and many Arab countries could improve on energy efficiency funding and legislation. Most Arab countries lack a dedicated energy efficiency agency within governmental bodies to regulate and set energy policy.

In many Arab countries energy efficiency agencies are dispersed amongst different ministries and institutions, making it challenging to develop and enforce effective policies. Moreover, some Arab countries lack energy efficiency regulatory bodies all together. The increasing availability of funding for energy efficiency initiatives has seen a positive move in recent years to expand the EE market and develop EE projects in various sectors such as the Green Environment Financing Facility (GEFF) in Egypt, the Jordanian Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Fund (JREEEF), the Dubai Green Fund, and the National Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy Action (NEEREA) in Lebanon.

Conclusion

By developing and enforcing more effective energy efficiency policies, providing stable sources of finance for initiatives that improve energy efficiency, and taking decisive measures to remove energy subsidies, Arab countries can significantly improve their energy efficiency, and reduce their energy intensities. Such measures will save Arab countries large portions of their GDP and will cut down their energy bills, as well as help the region fight climate change and maintain its commitment to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals and their Nationally Determined Contributions.

الارادة والتعليم سر الانجازات الاقتصادية

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إقتصادياً؛ ينظر الكثير إلى مياه البحر من زاوية التكاليف الباهضة لمشاريع تحليتها، هذه النظرة تجعل من مياه البحر عقدة بدلاً من كونها حلا لبعض الحاجات الإقتصادية والمشاريع التنموية. قبل أيام أطلقت أستراليا مشروعاً زراعياً يعد الأول من نوعه على مستوى العالم، إذ يستغني عن التربة والمياه الجوفية والوقود الأحفوري، ويكتفى بأشعة الشمس ومياه البحر لإنتاج 17 ألف طن من الطماطم سنوياً. وفي ظل الأزمة التي تواجه العالم في الحصول على المياه العذبة وإنتاج الطاقة فإن المشروع يشكل الوجه الجديد للزراعة المستقبلية حسب تعبير مجلة New Scientist التي ذكرت أن المشروع استغرق ست سنوات فقط، وهي مدة قياسية بالمقارنة بمشاريعنا، بل حتى بالنسبة لحجم الإنجاز ذاته.

education in the Arab world

التفاصيل على قدر كبيرمن الأهمية لأنها تدفعنا لإدراك إمكانية تطبيق مثل هذا المشروع في المنطقة، بل وابتكار مشاريع أخرى، فطبيعة الصحراء الأسترالية هي نفسها طبيعة صحراء الجزيرة العربية، لذا فإن من المهم معرفة الأساليب العلمية التي لجأ إليها فريق العمل للتغلب على هذه الظروف القاسية، بدلا من الإعتماد على القدرة المالية في الحصول على أدوات مرتفعة التكاليف من أجل تحقيق إنجاز ما.

في التفاصيل، مدّ فريق العمل أنابيب لنقل مياه البحر على طول 2 كلم محطة في الصحراء لتحلية المياه بالطاقة الشمسية تقوم بإنتاج مياه عذبة بكميات تكفي لري 180 ألف نبتة طماطم زرعت في بيوت محمية. وعالج فريق العمل مشكلة التربة بإيجاد بديل لها هو قشور ثمرة جوز الهند.

مشاريع المياه تعتبر من المشاريع المكلفة

مشاريع المياه تعتبر من المشاريع المكلفة

المدهش هو أن هناك مبادرات لتطبيق نموذج المشروع في دول عدة من بينها قطر والإمارات وسلطنة عمان. وهذا يدل على رغبة هذه الدول المجلس في وضع حل لمشكلة شح المياه العذبة والعمل على استغلال الطاقة المتجددة في إنتاج محاصيل زراعية.

مشاريع المياه تعتبر من المشاريع المكلفة، فدول المجلس كانت قد خصصت أكثر من 100 مليار دولار أمريكي للإستثمار في هذا القطاع بين عامي 2011 و2016، وأعلنت عن خطط لاستثمار 300 مليار دولار أمريكي أخرى بحلول عام 2022، وهذا من شأنه إرهاق الموازنات الحكومية خاصة مع انخفاض أسعار الوقود، بينما هناك إمكانية لإيجاد بدائل تساهم في تخفيف العبء.

ينبغي القول أيضاً أن المياه المالحة قد تشكل ثروة كبيرة، حتى دون اللجوء إلى تحليتها، فهناك نباتات مفيدة قادرة على التكيف مع ملوحة مياه البحر، ويمكنها المساهمة في التنمية الإقتصادية، ومن بينها الساليكورنيا (الشمرة البحرية) والسبارتينا (العقربان).

الخلاصة

إن هذا الإنجاز الذي حققته أستراليا يؤكد لنا حقيقتين هما: إن الحاجة ليست أم الإختراع (كما يقال) فقد بقينا عقود في حاجة للمياه العذبة دون نتيجة، بل يأتي الإختراع عبر إرادة التغيير والسعي الحثيث والإخلاص في وضع هذه الحاجة على السكة العملية لتوفيرها.

والحقيقة الأخرى هي أننا يجب أن نولي التعليم والبحث العلمي أهمية كبيرة، فنحن نمتلك الكثير من الإمكانات الطبيعية والبشرية التي يمكنها أن تخلق واقعاً أفضل إذا ما وضعنا التعليم في قمة أولوياتنا والبحث العلمي في صلب اهتمامنا، وهذا ما أثبتته تجارب الدول المتقدمة، وهو ما أكد عليه “لي كوان” مؤسس سنغافورة، في كلمته المشهورة: أنا لم أقم بمعجزة إنما أعطيت المعلم مكانته التي يستحقها وهو من أنتج جيلاً قاد نهضة الوطن.

Environmental Impact of Olive Oil Processing

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More commonly known for its popular culinary and medicinal benefits, olive cultivation, olive oil production and oil packaging are a part of the local heritage and rural economy throughout the North African and Mediterranean regions. In 2012, an estimated 2,903,676 tons of olive oil was produced worldwide, the largest olive oil producers being Spain, Italy, and Greece followed by Turkey and Tunisia and to a lesser extent Portugal, Morocco and Algeria. Within the European Union’s olive sector alone, there are roughly 2.5 million producers, who make up roughly one-third of all EU farmers.

olive-oil-wastes

The olive oil industry offers valuable opportunities to farmers in terms of seasonal employment as well as significant employment to the off-farm milling and processing industry.  While this industry has significant economic benefits in regards to profit and jobs; the downside is it leads to severe environmental harm and degradation.

The Flipside

There are two processes that are used for the extraction of olive oil, the three-phase and the two-phase. Both systems generate large amounts of byproducts.  The two byproducts produced by the three-phase system are a solid residue known as olive press cake (OPC) and large amounts of aqueous liquid known as olive mill wastewater (OMW).  The three-phase process usually yields 20% olive oil, 30% OPC waste, and 50% OMW.  This equates to 80% more waste being produced than actual product.

More contemporary is the two-phase system, in this system “the volume of OMW produced is reduced because less water is used and much of that water and toxic substances are held within the solid olive cake, thus producing a semi-solid residue (SOR).” While the two-phase system produces less OMW, the SOR it produces has a “high organic matter concentration giving an elevated polluting load and it cannot be easily handled by traditional technology which deals with the conventional three-phase olive cake.”

Regardless of system used, the effluents produced from olive oil production exhibit highly phytotoxic and antimicrobial properties, mainly due to phenols.  Phenols are a poisonous caustic crystalline compound.  These effluents unless disposed of properly can result in serious environmental damage.  Troublingly, there is no general policy for disposal of this waste in the olive oil producing nations around the world.  This results in inconsistent monitoring and non-uniform application of guidelines across these regions.

Environmental Concerns

Around 30 million m3 of olive mill wastewater is produced annually in the Mediterranean area.  This wastewater cannot be sent to ordinary wastewater treatment systems, thus, safe disposal of this waste is of serious environmental concern. Moreover, due to its complex compounds, olive processing waste (OPW) is not easily biodegradable and needs to be detoxified before it can properly be used in agricultural and other industrial processes.

This poses a serious problem when the sophisticated treatment and detoxification solutions needed are too expensive for developing countries in MENA such as Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia where it is common for OMW to be dumped into rivers and lakes or used for farming irrigation.  This results in the contamination of ground water and eutrophication of lakes, rivers and canals. Eutrophication results in reductions in aquatic plants, fish and other animal populations as it promotes excessive growth of algae. As the algae die and decompose, high levels of organic matter and the decomposing organisms deplete the water of oxygen, causing aquatic populations to plummet.

Another common tactic for disposal of olive mill wastewater is to collect and retain it in large evaporation basins or ponds.  It is then dried to a semi-solid fraction. In less developed countries where olive processing wastes is disposed of, this waste, as well as olive processing cake and SOR waste is commonly unloaded and spread across the surrounding lands where it sits building up throughout the olive oil production season.  Over time these toxic compounds accumulate in the soil, saturating it, and are often transported by rain water to other nearby areas, causing serious hazardous runoff. Because these effluents are generally untreated it leads to land degradation, soil contamination as well as contamination of groundwater and of the water table itself.

Even a small quantity of olive wastewater in contact with groundwater has the potential to cause significant pollution to drinking water sources. The problem is more serious where chlorine is used to disinfect drinking water. Chlorine in contact with phenol reacts to form chlorophenol which is even more dangerous to human health than phenol alone.

Current Remedies

The problems associated with olive processing wastes have been extensively studied for the past 50 years. Unfortunately, research has continued to fall short on discovering a technologically feasible, economically viable, and socially acceptable solution to OPW.

The most common solutions to date have been strategies of detoxification, production system modification, and recycling and recovery of valuable components. Because the latter results in reductions in the pollution and transformation of OPW into valuable products, it has gained popularity over the past decade. Weed control is a common example of reusing OPW; due to its plant inhibiting characteristics OPW once properly treated can be used as an alternative to chemical weed control.

Research has also been done on using the semisolid waste generated from olive oil production to absorb oil from hazardous oil spills.  Finally, in terms of health, studies are suggesting that due to OPW containing high amounts of phenolic compounds, which have high in antioxidant rates, OPW may be an affordable source of natural antioxidants. Still, none of these techniques on an individual basis solve the problem of disposal of OMW to a complete and exhaustive extent.

At the present state of olive mill wastewater treatment technology, industry has shown little interest in supporting any traditional process (physical, chemical, thermal or biological) on a wide scale.This is because of the high investment and operational costs, the short duration of the production period (3-5 months) and the small size of the olive mills.

Conclusion

Overall, the problems associated with olive processing wastes are further exemplified by lack of common policy among the olive oil producing regions, funding and infrastructure for proper treatment and disposal, and a general lack of education on the environmental and health effects caused by olive processing wastes.

While some progress has been made with regards to methods of treatment and detoxification of OPW there is still significant scope for further research.  Given the severity of environmental impact of olive processing wastes, it is imperative on policy-makers and industry leaders to undertake more concrete initiatives to develop a sustainable framework to tackle the problem of olive oil waste disposal.

References

Art, H. W. (1995). The Dictionary of Ecology and Environmental Science. New York, New York: Henry Holt and Company.

Borja, R., Raposo, F., & Rincón, B. (2006). Treatment technologies of liquid and solid wastes from two-phase olive oil mills. 57, 32-46. http://digital.csic.es/bitstream/10261/2426/1/Borja.pdf

Boz, O., Ogut, D., Kir, K., & Dogan, N. (2009). Olive Processing Waste as a Method of Weed Control for Okra, Fava Bean, and Onion. Weed Technology, 23, 569-573.

Caba, J., Ligero, F., Linares, A., Martınez, J., & De la Rubia, T. (2003). Detoxification of semisolid olive-mill wastes and pine-chip mixtures using Phanerochaete flavido-alba Chemosphere, 51, 887–891. http://hera.ugr.es/doi/14978611.pdf

El Hajjouji, H., Guiresse, M., Hafidi, M., Merlina, G., Pinelli, E., & Revel, J. (2007). Assessment of the genotoxicity of olive mill waste water (OMWW) with the Vicia faba micronucleus test Morocco.

Niaounakis, M., & Halvadakis, C. P. (2006). Olive Processing Waste Management, 2nd Edition (2nd ed.): Pergamon.

Spandre, R., & Dellomonaco, G. (1996). POLYPHENOLS POLLUTION BY OLIVE MILL WASTE WATERS, TUSCANY, ITALY. Journal of Environmental Hydrology, 4, 1-13. http://www.hydroweb.com/jeh/jeh1996/spandre.pdf

The olive oil sector in the European Union (2002).   Retrieved 12/01/2013, from http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/publi/fact/oliveoil/2003_en.pdf

Best Soil Types for Vegetable Gardens

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You’re about to dig into your backyard, but choosing the right soil can feel like deciphering a secret recipe. Loam, sandy loam, or clay loam – each sets the stage for how vibrant your tomatoes and greens will be.

Before hauling bags, remember that soil depth adds up quickly; running the numbers with a simple topsoil calculator prevents over- or under-buying for raised beds and open rows.

organic soil in hand

Soil Composition Essentials

Before planting a single seed, grasp what makes soil thrive: balanced minerals, living organisms, air pockets, and moisture reservoirs working together to nourish dependable, vigorous vegetables.

Mineral Makeup Matters

Sand, silt, and clay combine to form loam – the gold-standard texture that drains well yet retains nutrients. A classic loam contains roughly 40 percent sand, 40 percent silt, and 20 percent clay, giving tender roots exactly what they need for steady growth.

The Living Soil Web

Bacteria, fungi, earthworms, and arthropods constantly break down organic debris, releasing nutrients and improving structure. Encourage them and soil begins to manage itself like a miniature ecosystem.

Air and Water Balance

Healthy garden soil holds about 25 percent air spaces and 25 percent water. That proportion lets oxygen reach roots while still supplying consistent hydration between irrigations.

Organic Matter’s Role

Compost, decomposed leaves, and well-aged manures act like sponges, boosting water retention in sandy beds and loosening heavy clay while feeding microbes for long-term fertility.

Nutrient Cycling

As organisms digest organic matter, nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, and micronutrients become plant-available. This slashes the need for synthetic inputs and creates a naturally self-replenishing nutrition loop.

Identifying Garden Soil

Pinpointing your soil type prevents costly mistakes; once you know whether it is sand, silt, clay, or loam, tailoring amendments and watering becomes straightforward and reliable.

Simple Hand Test

Moisten a small clump, roll it into a ribbon. Sandy soil falls apart quickly, clay stays sticky, and perfect loam feels gritty yet cohesive in your palm.

Household pH Kit

Use an inexpensive probe or dye test to discover acidity or alkalinity. Most vegetables prosper between pH 6.3 and 7, though blueberries thrive in more acidic conditions around 5.0 to 5.5.

Color and Smell Clues

Darker earth usually signals rich organic matter, while a sour odor can indicate poor drainage. Sweet, earthy smells reveal active microbes busily decomposing previous seasons’ residues.

Mapping the Garden

Test several spots, label samples, and sketch results. Different beds frequently vary, letting you match lime-loving brassicas with alkaline patches and root crops with lighter soil.

Clay Soil Strategies

Dense clay discourages roots by holding water too long and compacting easily; fortunately, repeated organic additions and smart cultural habits gradually transform it into productive ground.

  • Add coarse compost annually to separate tiny clay particles, increase pore space, and invite earthworms that keep channels open even after heavy spring storms.
  • Use raised rows eight inches high so excess moisture drains away faster, preventing seed rot and allowing earlier planting when surrounding paths remain sticky.
  • Avoid tilling wet clay; working it while sticky creates hard clods that bake like bricks, reducing root penetration and increasing erosion risk later.
  • Plant deep-rooted cover crops such as daikon radish; their taproots drill through compact layers, decompose in place, and leave behind airy passageways for vegetables.

Consistency is key. Small yearly improvements accumulate, and within three seasons you will notice spade-friendly texture, fewer puddles, and healthier, more prolific harvests.

Sandy Soil Fixes

Excessively sandy beds drain nutrients swiftly, needing thoughtful management to keep moisture and fertility around long enough for crops to finish strong through hot summers.

  • Blend fine compost and biochar; the porous carbon traps water and minerals, reducing leaching while compost feeds microbes that further glue loose particles together.
  • Mulch thickly with straw or shredded leaves; evaporation slows dramatically, root zones stay cooler, and earthworm populations migrate upward into the protected surface layer.
  • Split fertilization into smaller, frequent doses so plants absorb nutrients before they slip below reach – liquid fish and seaweed blends excel for weekly spoon-feeding.
  • Grow green manure crops like crimson clover in fall; their residue decomposes over winter, adding organic matter and anchoring light soil against wind erosion.

Over time, these tactics convert thirsty, hungry sand into a resilient medium capable of supporting heavy-feeding tomatoes, corn, and squash with far less effort.

Optimal Raised Bed Mix

Building soil from scratch inside frames lets you bypass native problems; a balanced recipe supplies structure, drainage, and fertility for many seasons with minimal upkeep.

Classic Mel’s Mix

Combine one-third peat or coco coir, one-third coarse vermiculite, and one-third diverse compost sources. The result feels fluffy, drains well, and seldom compacts under rain.

Perfect Soil Recipe

Blend 50 percent screened topsoil, 30 percent finished compost, and 20 percent extra organic matter such as worm castings or aged manure for budget-friendly productivity.

All-Bagged Option

When bulk materials are unavailable, mix quality bagged garden soil with fortified blends and topsoil, then enrich with worm castings – handy for balconies or urban lots.

Testing the Mix

Plant identical varieties across beds, track vigor, yield, and disease. Trials like those run by Jill McSheehy at Journey With Jill show how head-to-head comparisons reveal the most cost-effective formula.

Testing pH and Texture

Regular tests prevent guessing games; a small investment in kits or lab analysis guides liming, sulfur additions, and amendment choices that keep vegetables in their comfort zone.

  • Collect representative samples from several spots six inches deep, mix thoroughly, and remove stones or debris to avoid skewing professional laboratory results.
  • Perform jar sediment test; shake soil with water and a drop of dish soap, let layers settle, then measure sand, silt, and clay proportions visually.
  • Use inexpensive dye kits for pH; color charts quickly show whether to raise acidity for potatoes or sweeten beds for broccoli and Brussels sprouts.
  • Retest every three years; weather, irrigation, and cropping cycles steadily change chemistry, so updated numbers ensure amendment rates remain appropriate and efficient.

Interpreting data correctly saves money, prevents over-application of fertilizers, and maintains an environment where roots explore freely without nutrient lockout or toxic imbalances.

introduction to greenhouse gardening

Organic Matter Boosts

Adding decomposed plant and animal materials is the single most powerful action for building resilient soil capable of withstanding drought, deluge, pests, and heavy production cycles.

Compost Choices

Home piles, municipal yard waste, or purchased blends all work; verify materials are herbicide-free and thoroughly finished to avoid introducing weed seeds or damaging residues.

Manure Management

Age or compost animal manures at least six months; fresh material may burn seedlings or harbor pathogens, yet properly cured manure provides slow-release nitrogen and beneficial microbes.

Leaf Mold Magic

Shredded autumn leaves piled and periodically transform into crumbly leaf mold. Its high lignin content excels at increasing water holding in sandy beds while lightening clay.

Cover-Crop Contribution

Winter rye, vetch, or oats protect bare soil, capture nutrients, and upon incorporation add organic biomass, enhancing tilth without additional hauling or material costs.

Extension Guidance

Oregon State University emphasizes organic matter’s versatility for every texture; explore their detailed recommendations at OSU Extension for region-specific amendment depths and timing.

Solving Common Soil Issues

Even well-tended beds occasionally falter; identifying symptoms early lets you intervene quickly, preserving yields while guiding long-term improvements that prevent future recurrences.

  • Crusted surfaces signal salt buildup from over-fertilizing. Flush thoroughly with plain water, then switch to diluted, targeted feeds instead of blanket applications.
  • Yellowing despite moisture often indicates nutrient tie-up. Side-dress with compost tea or chelated iron and verify pH hasn’t drifted beyond optimal vegetable range.
  • Stunted seedlings may suffer from soil-borne pathogens. Rotate crops, incorporate bio-fungicidal compost, or solarize empty beds during peak summer sunlight.
  • Persistent compaction arises from foot traffic. Confine walking to paths, lay boards for access, and introduce annual broad-forking instead of deep rotor-tilling.

Most problems trace back to imbalance. Balanced organic matter, smart watering, and gentle cultivation restore soil biology, unlocking healthier plants and heavier baskets of produce.

Smart Fertilization Techniques

Fertilizer should supplement – not replace – good soil. Precise timing, accurate amounts, and thoughtful placement keep plants thriving while protecting groundwater and saving money.

Base Decisions on Tests

Soil analyses highlight deficiencies; apply only what is lacking, avoiding the scattergun approach that leads to excessive salts, weak growth, and unnecessary runoff.

Choose Appropriate Forms

Synthetic granules deliver immediate nutrients but can burn roots; organic meals release slowly, feeding microbes first which then feed plants, smoothing growth curves.

Placement Techniques

Band fertilizer two inches beside seedlings or side-dress established rows mid-season; concentrated zones ensure nutrients reach roots before rain can wash them away.

Split Applications

Rather than one heavy dose, deliver smaller amounts every few weeks. Vegetables like corn and tomatoes respond with steady vigor, and leaching losses drop dramatically.

Record and Adjust

Keep a notebook tracking products, rates, and crop response. Over time patterns emerge, letting you fine-tune programs for maximum flavor, size, and disease resistance.

Harvest-Ready Roots

Armed with a clear grasp of composition, texture, nutrients, and moisture, you can read your soil like a map. Amend precisely, balance pH, and layer organic matter for sustained fertility. Observe how crops respond, adjust season by season, and you’ll consistently draw vigorous, flavorful harvests from the ground each year.

Green Home Improvements That Increase the Value of Your Home

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One of the smartest investments any homeowner can make is to upgrade their home with green improvements. Not only does this reduce energy costs and decrease your carbon footprint, but it also increases the value of your property! It’s no wonder that more and more people are looking for sustainable solutions when renovating their homes.

eco-friendly home improvements to increase home value

Green home improvements range from low-cost changes, such as using LED lightbulbs and water-efficient appliances, to larger projects, like investing in energy-efficient windows or replacing an aging HVAC system with a solar-powered one. Estate agents, such as Jerry Pinkas Real Estate, tell us that along with getting better returns at sale time, you’ll also enjoy lower utility bills right away – making it a wise investment for both short and long-term finances.

In this article, we’ll guide you through the things you need to consider before starting your home improvements, along with giving you lots of tips on how to get started.

How to Calculate the ROI of a Green Home Improvement Project?

Eco-friendly home upgrades can be an excellent way to reduce energy costs and help the environment, but making these changes can be expensive. Before investing in green projects, it’s important to accurately calculate their Return On Investment (ROI).

To start this process, homeowners should research the cost of the project materials and labor, as well as any estimated energy savings based on how much energy will be conserved through making the change. Homeowners should also factor in any incentives for taking green measures, such as available tax credits.

The ROI Calculation

Once all of this information is collected, ROI can be calculated by subtracting the project’s project’s total cost from the estimated savings over time; then dividing that number by the total price.

This calculation reveals whether a particular green home improvement project will ultimately provide a net return or operate at a net loss due to its associated investment costs.

Understanding this value helps homeowners make smart decisions when seeking ways to invest in their homes while also protecting the environment.  Buyers who need more confidence working through this equation are advised to seek professional help with their calculations before committing to large-scale green home improvement projects.

Be Prepared

After considering all relevant factors, including total costs and long-term savings potential, calculating ROI yields valuable insights into which projects are financially worthwhile investments in sustainable living.

Taking a few moments to calculate ROI clarifies how different energy conservation projects measure up against each other, as well as what kind of return homeowners can expect for each type of project.

With their ROI calculations calculated in hand, homeowners are better prepared than ever before to enjoy all the benefits that Green Home Improvement Projects have to offer!

Tips for Making Your Home More Energy Efficient

Making your home more energy efficient is every homeowner’s goal. Not only is this a great way to reduce environmental impacts, but it can also save you money on utilities. But how can you make your home more energy-efficient?

eco-friendly-home

The good news is that there are many steps you can take to reduce your energy consumption and maximize efficiency!

  • Start by investing in energy-efficient appliances. Look for Energy Star-certified products that consume less electricity than regular models.
  • For your outdoor space, choose grill islands for your outdoor kitchen made from sustainable and high-quality materials to resist rust and corrosion while reducing your overall carbon footprint.
  • Install LED lightbulbs and use smart power strips – these devices sense when a device isn’t being used and shut them off automatically to conserve electricity.
  • Improve insulation around windows and doors, as well as sealing cracks around the walls, will help to keep cool air from escaping during summer or warm air from escaping during winter.
  • Consider installing solar panels, which can generate renewable energy and help lower electric bills in the long run.
  • Invest in an efficient pellet smoker as it consumes wood pellets which burns cleaner than charcoal.

With a few simple changes and some careful planning, you can make your home more energy efficient and reap the savings for years to come!

How to Choose the Right Green Building Material?

When undertaking a green building project, the materials used play an essential role in achieving sustainable building practices. Material selection should emphasize energy efficiency and a minimal environmental impact while being cost-effective and meeting performance targets.

Factors to consider when selecting building materials include:

1. Durability

Long-term performance evaluation should also be conducted to monitor how the material will interact with the environment, such as its energy consumption or emissions rate over time. For example, metal siding may have higher upfront costs but can reduce energy bills long-term due to increased insulation value; similarly, composite building products created from recycled plastic may be more expensive initially but provide superior durability for a longer lifespan than traditional wood composites.

2. Sourcing renewable materials

Seek certifications to ensure materials are genuinely made with sustainable and environmentally friendly methods

3. Recyclability

When the time does come to replace the materials, will they add to the landfill sites, or can they be recycled? Purchases should be made with the lifetime impact of the material and not just that of its production.

Ultimately, choosing the right green building material depends on understanding both the immediate and lifetime costs associated—factoring in not only purchase price but also future maintenance needs—as well as considering sustainability objectives upfront in order to obtain the best value for your dollar and have a positive impact on our planet.

How to Create an Eco-Friendly Landscaping Design for Your Yard

Creating an eco-friendly landscaping design for your yard is an easy and rewarding way to combine environmental sustainability with a great-looking landscape.

Start by deciding on an overall theme that you’d like to create (country, tropical, modern, etc.) and devise a plan that considers everything from plants, trees, and shrubs, to pathways and garden features.

tips to save water in your backyard

1. Native Species

When choosing plants, try to select native species as they tend to require less maintenance and have fewer pest issues than introduced ones. Plant in organized beds for easy mowing and easier management of pests and weeds. If possible, minimize the number of grassy areas in favor of a mixture of materials such as stone, pebbles, or mulch.

2. Water Reduction

Using materials like decomposed granite or gravel is also a great way to help save water as it reduces evaporation versus lawns. Try using low-water-use plants such as succulents or native ground covers throughout the landscape for attractive color without extra watering costs.

3. Rainwater Harvesting

Finally, consider a rain barrel or other rainwater harvesting system so that you can use natural rainfall instead of city water for irrigation purposes.

Implementing even one of these ideas can help put your yard on course toward creating an eco-friendly landscaping design!  With planning, imagination, diligence and creativity you’re sure to have beautiful landscaping and great satisfaction in knowing your yard is saving resources too!

Bottom Line

With the abundance of options available, there has never been a better time to go green! Whether you’re aiming for minor adjustments or major renovations, taking steps to create a more sustainable living environment not only helps you save money in the present, but will also result in greater benefits down the line. Investing in green upgrades today could yield life-changing rewards tomorrow.

Seawater Reinvented: Inside the Race to Build Cleaner and Smarter Desalination

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Desalination has stopped being an engineering footnote and quietly become one of the most consequential climate-era industries. Once synonymous with enormous power plants, thick plumes of hypersaline waste and prohibitive costs, modern desalination is remaking itself along three intertwined axes: slashing energy needs, turning brine from a waste into a resource, and folding data-driven intelligence into plants and networks. The result is a trajectory that could make seawater an affordable, environmentally acceptable pillar of water security for coastal and island nations ; provided the industry solves the brine and emissions puzzles fast enough. Recent projects and a surge of academic work show that the future of desalination will be less about brute-force evaporation and more about clever chemistry, smarter membranes, circular-economy thinking and digital twins that keep plants humming with minimal waste and cost [1-2].

salto de chira desalination plant

At the center of the energy story is reverse osmosis (RO). Over the last three decades RO’s relentless engineering refinements, more efficient membranes, higher-efficiency high-pressure pumps and sophisticated energy-recovery devices have driven down the electricity needed per cubic meter of produced freshwater and made membrane processes the global leader in seawater desalination. But the race is not over : recent literature and industry roadmaps point to gains not merely incremental but potentially transformative.

New membrane materials, including biomimetic and nano-structured polymers, promise higher permeabilities and fouling resistance, while hybrid approaches pairing membranes with low-grade heat drivers or electrochemical stages are attracting serious attention for their potential to halve or better the current energy bills. These trends are visible across specialized scientific journals and technical reviews published in 2024–2025 that place membranes, energy recovery and hybridisation at the heart of next-generation plants [3-4].

One high-visibility example of systems thinking marrying renewable energy and desalination is the Salto de Chira project in Gran Canaria. Built primarily as a pumped-storage hydroelectric complex, its design includes a purpose-built RO plant that will provide water both to operate the storage system and to supply local agricultural and municipal needs. Salto de Chira is emblematic of a new class of integrated infrastructure where desalination is not a stand-alone consumer of electricity, but a flexible load and a value-adding partner to renewable generation and storage. Financial backing from major public lenders for such projects reflects growing investor comfort with coupling desalination to clean energy and storage [5-6].

Beyond energy efficiency, the industry is being forced to confront an environmental Achilles’ heel: brine. Every desalination plant creates a concentrated saline effluent whose disposal can stress coastal ecosystems if not managed with care. But the story of brine is flipping from one of unavoidable waste to one of opportunity. A flurry of recent reviews and projects spotlight brine valorisation extracting salts, magnesium, lithium and other elements, and approaches aiming at Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), where virtually nothing goes to waste.

Electrodialysis metathesis, membrane crystallization and a class of electro-driven membranes are being trialled to recover marketable minerals while shrinking brine volumes. This shift has regulatory and economic implications: if brine can be converted into revenue streams, desalination plants move from being cost centers to integrated resource factories. The science is advancing fast: specialist conferences and journals in 2024–2025 have elevated mineral recovery and brine management to top priorities for the sector [7-8].

A second disruptive theme is the arrival of electrochemical and hybrid separation technologies for low-energy desalination. Electrodialysis (ED), membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) and novel electrochemical desalination architectures are drawing attention because they can be exceptionally efficient for brackish waters and industrial streams, and because they open the door to selective ion recovery rather than blunt salt removal. The practical upshot is twofold: first, smaller plants serving coastal cities and industry can use less electricity per unit of freshwater; second, operators can target specific ions for recovery (for example magnesium or lithium), aligning desalination with the emerging market for critical minerals. Recent research papers have mapped these opportunities, stressing that these electro-driven solutions are especially attractive when paired with renewable electricity and when brine valorisation is part of the plant design from day one [9-10].

Artificial intelligence and digitalisation are the third revolution quietly unfolding in desalination. Traditionally, plant design and operations relied on static engineering rules and reactive maintenance. Now, machine learning, digital twins and remote monitoring enable predictive maintenance, fine-grained control of membrane cleaning cycles and optimisation of energy use in real time. The benefits are immediate: fewer unplanned shutdowns, extended membrane life, and operational savings that translate into lower water costs. Several recent analyses and white papers argue that the marriage of AI-driven control systems with desalination can deliver not only incremental operational improvements but also accelerate the rollout of small, distributed desalination units in off-grid and island contexts by reducing the need for expert operators on site [11-12].

Taken together, energy innovation, brine valorisation and digital control paint a future where desalination scales without replicating the ecological and climate costs of the past. However, realising that future requires navigating a thicket of technical, regulatory and socio-economic hurdles. Extraction of valuable minerals from brine, while technically feasible in pilot studies, faces challenges around concentration, selectivity, and economics. Lithium, for example, is present in seawater at very low concentrations; separating it profitably from a complex brine matrix requires new chemistries and economies of scale that are only just being explored in the literature and at demonstration sites. In short, brine is a goldmine in principle but a complex one in practice, and policymakers should be cautious about expecting instant returns [13-14].

For countries like Algeria, where desalination is already expanding rapidly to meet urban demand, the implications are concrete. National investment programs have ramped up the construction of coastal plants, and plans to source a larger share of municipal water from seawater desalination are accelerating. That expansion offers an opening to leapfrog older, fossil-heavy plant designs and adopt renewable-linked, low-waste models from the outset. Local manufacturing of key components, membranes and energy recovery devices also features in national strategies, which could reduce dependence on global supply chains and support a nascent domestic industry.

But such transitions require strong institutional capacity for environmental monitoring and a regulatory framework that incentives brine treatment and resource recovery rather than uncontrolled discharge. Specialist studies on North Africa and the Mediterranean region emphasize that integrated planning linking power, water and coastal environmental management is the only way to avoid shifting the burden from water scarcity to marine degradation [15-16].

Not everything is rosy. While the unit cost of desalinated water has come down substantially, the industry still wrestles with lifecycle carbon emissions when plants are powered by fossil fuel electricity. The comparative life-cycle analyses published recently confirm that thermal processes (MSF, MED) can carry much higher greenhouse gas footprints than RO when powered by hydrocarbons. The choice of electricity supply is therefore as pivotal as equipment choice. Where renewable electricity is cheap and abundant, desalination’s carbon bill plummets; where it is not, the social and climate trade-offs are stark. The policy implication is clear: scaling desalination without a concurrent decarbonisation of power systems risks undermining broader climate goals [17].

seawater desalination project in qatar

Which brings us back to finance and governance. Big desalination projects are capital intensive and typically attract a mix of public finance, export credit and private investment. Multilateral lenders have lately shown more appetite for projects that pair desalination with renewables or storage ; the financing of the Salto de Chira pumped-storage plus desalination complex is one signal that lenders prefer integrated, low-carbon packages. For smaller utilities and municipalities, however, the financing puzzle remains acute: distributed, renewable-powered desalination promises resilience but requires new business models, tariffs and technical skills. Industry analysts are increasingly focused on how regulatory frameworks, subsidies and innovative contracting can align incentives for example, paying for capacity and flexibility rather than for volume to make desalination both affordable and climate-compatible [5].

On the research front, the calendar of specialist conferences and journals shows a pivot from purely process engineering to a multidisciplinary agenda: materials science for superior membranes, electrochemistry for selective ion recovery, marine ecology to monitor and mitigate diffuser impacts, and data science to operate plants as smart assets. That breadth matters, because the problem is not a single technical wrinkle but a systems challenge that cuts across resource recovery, coastal planning and energy policy. Recent reviews and conference proceedings in 2024–2025 emphasize this pluralism and identify the most promising near-term priorities: demonstration of economically viable brine mining at scale, robust digital twin deployments that survive real-world noise, and demonstrated long-term durability of new membrane chemistries under real seawater conditions. These are the bottlenecks that, if cleared, could shift desalination from an expensive last-resort to a mainstream, climate-aware water supply option [18].

Practical timelines matter. The technologies that reduce operational energy by tens of percent ; better energy recovery, improved pumps and incremental membrane gains  are already deployable at scale. Technologies promising order-of-magnitude improvements (true biomimetic membranes, economical lithium extraction from seawater) are further from commercial maturity and will need directed R&D, demonstration funding and patient capital. For policymakers and water managers, that means two complementary strategies: accelerate the deployment of proven efficiency gains and integrated renewable-desalination pilots now, while funding targeted R&D and pilot programs for the riskier but higher-return breakthroughs. In doing so, they should insist on environmental safeguards, mandatory brine impact assessments, and incentives for resource recovery trials [3].

Conclusion

Desalination stands at a hinge moment. The past century treated seawater as a problem to be diluted; the next decade promises to treat it as a managed resource. Where desalination once implied heavy carbon footprints and piled-up brine, the emerging generation of plants aims to be leaner, smarter and circular: driven by renewables, attentive to brine as feedstock rather than waste, and run by algorithms that squeeze performance from every kilowatt and membrane square metre. The path is neither automatic nor inevitable, it requires concerted policy, finance and R&D, but the technical building blocks are falling into place.

If governments, utilities and industry seize the moment, desalination could shift from a late-stage adaptation to climate stress into a powerful tool for equitable, resilient water systems. The next big question will be whether societies can design the regulatory and economic frameworks that ensure the technology’s gains are shared and the ecological costs minimized. The science says the options are now on the table; the choice of which to take is ours.

References :

[1] Prabakar P,   Dyuthi Thampan,   S. Karthika,   Manthiram Karthik Ravichandran,   Aishwarya Subramanian,   Aditya Mosur Nagarajan,   Rayhan Hussain,  Krishanasamy Sivagami. Emerging investigator series: a state-of-the-art review on large-scale desalination technologies and their brine management. Environmental Science : Water Research & Technology. Issue 2, 2025

[2] TRENDS Research & Advisory – The Future of Desalination: Between Financing and Climate Challenges.

[3] Harjot Kaur, Gunjan Chauhan, Samarjeet Singh Siwal, Phil Hart, Vijay Kumar Thakur. Underpinning the Role of Nanofiltration and Other Desalination Technologies for Water Remediation and Brine Valorization: Mechanism and Challenges for Waste-to-Wealth Approach. Advanced Energy & Sustainable Research. Volume5, Issue11, November 2024,2400070.

[4] Andrew Jales Schunke, German Alberto Hernandez Herrera, Lokesh Padhye, Terri-Ann Berry. Energy Recovery in SWRO Desalination: Current Status and New Possibilities. Front. Sustain. Cities, 03 April 2020 Sec. Urban Resource ManagementVolume 2 – 2020  https://doi.org/10.3389/frsc.2020.00009

[5] https://www.eib.org/en/press/all/2024-403-eib-approves-a-eur300-million-loan-to-red-electrica-for-the-construction-of-salto-de-chira-hydroelectric-power-plant-in-the-canary-islands

[6] Lozano Medina, J.C.; León Zerpa, F.A.; Pérez Báez, S.O.; Sánchez Morales, C.; Pino, C.A.M. A Study of Energy Production in Gran Canaria with a Pumped Hydroelectric Energy Storage Plant (PHES). Sustainability 2025, 17, 435. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/su17020435

[7] Ojo,O.E.; Oludolapo,O.A. Innovative Recovery Methods for Metals and Salts from Rejected Brine and Advanced Extraction Processes—A Pathway to Commercial Viability and Sustainability in Seawater Reverse Osmosis Desalination. Water 2025, 17, 3141. https://doi.org/10.3390/w17213141

[8] Aljohani, N.S.; Kavil, Y.N.; Shanas, P.R.; Al-Farawati, R.K.; Shabbaj, I.I.; Aljohani, N.H.; Turki, A.J.; Abdel Salam, M. Environmental Impacts of Thermal and Brine Dispersion Using Hydrodynamic Modelling for Yanbu Desalination Plant, on the Eastern Coast of the Red Sea. Sustainability 2022, 14, 4389. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14084389

[9] Kang,Z.; Zhao,G.; Xiong, H.; Zhang,K.; Su,P. Research Progress on the Application of Electrodialysis Technology for Clean Discharge Water Treatment from Power Plants. Water 2025, 17, 2701. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/w17182701

[10] Elawadi, G.A. Low-Energy Desalination Techniques, Development of Capacitive Deionization Systems, and Utilization of Activated Carbon. Materials 2024, 17, 5130. https://doi.org/10.3390/ ma17205130

[11] Alenezi, A.; Alabaiadly, Y. Artificial Intelligence Applications in Water Treatment and Desalination: A Comprehensive Review. Water 2025, 17, 1169. https://doi.org/10.3390/ w17081169

[12] Anwur Alenezi, Yousef Alabaiadly. Emerging technologies in water desalination: A review and future outlook. Energy Nexus. Volume 17, March 2025, 100373

[13] Ramato Ashu Tufa, Sergio Santoro, Cherie Flores-Fernández, Roviel Berhane Zegeye, Diego Fuentealba, Marco Aquino, Belén Barraza, Bruno Marco Inzillo, Shahriyar Nasirov, Giuseppe D’Andrea, Elizabeth Troncoso, Salvatore Straface, Humberto Estay, Efrem Curcio. Advances in integrated membrane processes for sustainable lithium extraction. Desalination Volume 610, 1 September 2025, 118899

[14] Backer, S.N.; Bouaziz, I.; Kallayi, N.; Thomas, R.T.; Preethikumar, G.; Takriff, M.S.; Laoui, T.; Atieh, M.A. Review: Brine Solution: Current Status, Future Management and Technology Development. Sustainability 2022, 14, 6752. https:// doi.org/10.3390/su14116752

[15] Oussama Naimi, Lousdad Abdelkader, Fidjah Abdelkader, Hassiba Bouabdesselam, Mohammed Chemsedine Ezzine, Belatoui Abdelmalek, Mokhtari Mohamed , Smain Nour Elhouda. Studies in Engineering and Exact Sciences. Vol. 5 No. 1 (2024): Studies in Engineering and Exact Sciences, Curitiba, v.5, n.1, 2024

[16] https://asjp.cerist.dz/en/downArticle/109/9/2/274700

[17] Prabakar P.,  Dyuthi Thampan, S. Karthika,   Manthiram Karthik Ravichandran,  Aishwarya Subramanian,  Aditya Mosur Nagarajan,   Rayhan Hussain,  Krishanasamy Sivagami. Emerging investigator series: a state-of-the-art review on large-scale desalination technologies and their brine management. Environmental Science : Water Research & Technology. Issue 2, 2025.

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