2021 Agenda

2021 Agenda
AGENDA

Day One - Monday 05th April 2021

Time
Activity
09:00 Registration and Refreshments
10:00 Opening remarks by the organiser – Great Minds Group

  • Asmae Hamidi, Head of Production, Great Minds Group
10:05 Chairman’s welcome and opening remarks
Dr. Corrado Sommariva, CEO & Founder, Sustainable Water & Power Consultants
Overview of the water landscape in the MENA region
10:15 Opening keynote address

  • Eng. Abdullah Al Zowaid, Deputy Governor for Production & Transport, Saline Water Conversion Corporation – SWCC – Virtually
10:30 Opening Panel discussion: MENA 2050 – Promoting effective stewardship of water resources

  • The role of PPPs: Buffering costs for mega desalination projects
  • By 2050, the water demand gap is projected to grow fivefold. How can we promote a more conscious usage of water in the region?
  • Augmentation of water supplies: reducing unsustainable groundwater mining in the region
  • Integrating future technologies (AI, ML..etc) in desalination plants to increase efficiency
  • What role can research and development play in improving drinking water production and increasing supply?

Moderator:

  • Dr. Corrado Sommariva, CEO & Founder, Sustainable Water & Power Consultants

Panelists:

  • Eng. Ahmad M. Alazemi, Private-Sector Projects Department, Undersecretary Sector, Ministry of Electricity and Water, Kuwait
  • Thomas Altmann, VP – Technology & Innovation, ACWA Power
  • Dr. Mohamed Abdel Hamyd Dawoud, Advisor – Water Resources, Environment Quality, Abu Dhabi Environment Agency – Virtually
Sustainable desalination
11:15 Project Spotligt: NEOM desalination project overview: Greenfield development of water supply system

  • Status of NEOM Water supply
  • Strategy for supplying water in NEOM
  • Desalination Strategy for NEOM
  • Brine Treatment in NEOM

Speaker:

  • Gavin Van Tonder, Water Sector Head, NEOM – Virtually
  • Robert Garner, Director (Water Supply), Water, NEOM – Virtually
11:45 Efficient pretreatment in desalination, advanced Tecexsa high-rate DAF experiences
Speaker:

  • Ignacio Zuniga, Commercial Director, Tecexsa – Virtually
12:05 Networking Coffee Break
12:30 Integrated carbon capture and utilization (CCU) with RO seawater desalination
Speaker:

  • Thomas Altmann, VP – Technology & Innovation, ACWA Power
13:00 Panel discussion three: Alternative energy and emerging technologies for sustainable desalination
Panelists:

  • Eng. Iqbal Altayar, Director of Technical Supervision Department, Ministry of Electricity & Water Kuwait
  • Jesus Ortiz Mingo, Business Development Manager (Middle East), Acciona
  • Maruan El Khattabi, ME Director, GS Inima Environment – Virtually
  • Imteyaz Ahmad, Desalination Expert – Virtually
  • Miguel Angel Sanz, Director of Strategic Development, Suez International – Virtually
13:45 Design considerations for high flow rate cartridge filtration applications in desalination
Speaker:

  • Gilbert Parry, Director, Water Treatment Market, Entegris
14:05 Renewable Desalination
Speaker:

  • Antonio Moreno, Regional Director, Abengoa – Virtually
14:25 Chairman’s closing remarks
14:15 Networking lunch and end of conference day one

Day Two - Tuesday 06 April 2021

Time
Activity
09:30 Registration and Refreshments
10:30 Chairman’s welcome and opening remarks: Sustainable water development in the region – Ideas and initiatives

Dr. Corrado Sommariva, CEO & Founder, Sustainable Water & Power Consultants
Financing desalination projects
10:40 Panel discussion one: PPP financing in water desalination infrastructure

  • Achieving the 6th Sustainable Development Goal: ensuring water access and mitigating water scarcity in the region
  • Creating the recipe for success: shaping robust regulatory frameworks

Panelists:

  • Eng. Ahmad M. Alazemi, Private-Sector Projects Department, Undersecretary Sector, Ministry of Electricity and Water, Kuwait
  • Keith Bullen, Partner, Project Development & Finance, DLA Piper
  • Robert Bryniak, CEO, Golden Sands Management Consulting

Moderator:

  • Dr. Corrado Sommariva, Chief Executive Officer, SWPC
11:25 Improved economics and reliability for SWRO pretreatment operations using novel ceramic filtration technology

  • Optimizing capital investment and footprint through innovative pretreatment system design
  • Ensuring reliable operations during challenging algal blooms and suspended solid excursions
  • Reducing operating and lifecycle costs through streamlined pretreatment operations

Speaker:
Aatman Shah, Business Development Director, Nanostone
11:45 Networking coffee break
12:15 Panel discussion two: Efficient desalination project planning and execution

  • Improving energy efficiency in water treatment
  • Exploring the key challenges faced and solution to overcome them
  • Meeting environmental standards and regulations

Moderator:

  • Robert Bryniak, CEO, Golden Sands Management Consulting

Panelists:

  • Adel Aboujaoude, Operations Director, Jacobs – Virtually
  • Luay Khdeir, Water Sector Leader and Regional Development Director, Mott Macdonald
  • Dr. Nour Homsi, Project Manager and Senior Desalination Specialist, Fichtner
13:00 Closing keynote panel: country briefings

  • Water desalination roadmap and opportunities in United Arab Emirates
  • Current desalination opportunities in Kuwait
  • 2030 water desalination roadmap and opportunities in Morocco
  • Water desalination roadmap and opportunities in Egypt

Speakers:

  • Charafat Afailal, Advisor and Former Minister of Water, National Company of Drinking Water and Sanitation – Virtually
  • Eng. Iqbal Altayar, Director of Technical Supervision Department, Ministry of Electricity & Water Kuwait
  • Simon Arthur, Senior System Generation Engineer, Emirates Water and Electricity Company (EWEC)

Moderator:

  • Dr. Corrado Sommariva, Chief Executive Officer, SWPC
13:00 Chairman closing remarks
13:15 Networking lunch and end of conference