Carbonco and SWCC will cooperate on the adoption of CCUS technology, which captures carbon from power plants operated by SWCC and utilises it in the seawater desalination post-treatment process

Saudi Arabia’s Saline Water Conversion Corporation (SWCC) has signed a co-operation agreement with Carbonco, a unit of Korean engineering and construction company DL E&C, for joint research in various Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage (CCUS) projects across the kingdom.

The world’s largest seawater desalination institution, SWCC is an affiliated organization under the Saudi government. It is also the second largest electricity producer in the kingdom.

Through its research center, SWCC is leading carbon reduction projects in the field of seawater desalination and power generation using renewable energy in Saudi Arabia.

A specialist in decarbonisation solutions, Carbonco said it is committed to advancing CCUS technology to apply it to diverse fields, while striving to provide total solutions for it.

As per the deal, Carbonco and SWCC will cooperate on the adoption of CCUS technology, which captures carbon from power plants operated by SWCC and utilizes it in the seawater desalination post-treatment process.

“SWCC is working on the seawater desalination project using renewable energy to take the initiative in realising Saudi Arabia’s VISION 2030,” said Tariq Al Ghaffari, the General Manager of SWCC Local Competence Projects Department.

Both parties plan to collaborate across the CCUS business development, including commercial CCUS plant construction, based on business feasibility analysis and basic design research for the application of CCUS technology, noted Al Ghaffari.

Furthermore, the two companies will carry out joint research on various CCUS projects which encompass biological and chemical conversion, mineralization, and storage of carbon that are feasible in Saudi Arabia, he added.

Carbonco’s Chief Executive of Business Development Office Jae-hyung Yoo said: “Carbonco is the only Korean company invited to the EVOLVE 2023 forum hosted by SWCC to exchange vision and technology for Saudi Arabia’s seawater desalination project.”

“If our CCUS technology is applied to the seawater desalination process, it will become a tailored solution for carbon neutrality in Saudi Arabia,” he added.

DL E&C established Carbonco last August as a company specializing in the CCUS business in an attempt to expand its eco-friendly decarbonization business. Carbonco is conducting a green developer business which includes hydrogen and ammonia business as well as CCUS.