GE Announces Plans for Largest Desalination Plant in Africa; Plant Will Provide Desperately Needed Drinking Water.ALGIERS, Algeria -- At a ceremony held in Algiers today, GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies, a unit of General Electric Company (NYSE NYSE See: New York Stock Exchange :GE), joined the Algerian Government, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the Algerian Energy Company (AEC AEC US Atomic Energy Commission Noun 1. AEC - a former executive agency (from 1946 to 1974) that was responsible for research into atomic energy and its peacetime uses in the United States Atomic Energy Commission ), in announcing plans to build Hamma Water Desalination Water desalination The removal of dissolved minerals (including salts) from seawater or brackish water. This may occur naturally as part of the hydrologic cycle, or as an engineered process. SpA (Hamma) -- Africa's largest seawater seawater Water that makes up the oceans and seas. Seawater is a complex mixture of 96.5% water, 2.5% salts, and small amounts of other substances. Much of the world's magnesium is recovered from seawater, as are large quantities of bromine. desalination desalination or desalting Removal of dissolved salts from seawater and from the salty waters of inland seas, highly mineralized groundwaters, and municipal wastewaters. plant. Formed and funded by GE and AEC, the Hamma project is part of GE's ecomagination effort, which is aimed at building innovative solutions to tough global problems, like water scarcity. The Hamma project will supply -- 25% of Algeria's capital city's population -- with desperately needed drinking water drinking water supply of water available to animals for drinking supplied via nipples, in troughs, dams, ponds and larger natural water sources; an insufficient supply leads to dehydration; it can be the source of infection, e.g. leptospirosis, salmonellosis, or of poisoning, e.g. . "Many regions of the world face severe water scarcity, and the issue is getting worse daily," said George Oliver, CEO (1) (Chief Executive Officer) The highest individual in command of an organization. Typically the president of the company, the CEO reports to the Chairman of the Board. , GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies. "The Hamma project is at the forefront of GE's ecomagination commitment. We look forward to working with the Algerian Government on this project that will create new sources of water for the people of Algiers and lessen demands currently placed on their limited supply of fresh, usable water." By supplying 200,000 cubic meters (53 million U.S. gallons) of potable potable /pot·a·ble/ (po´tah-b'l) fit to drink. po·ta·ble adj. Fit to drink; drinkable. potable fit to drink. water a day and reducing energy and overall costs, the build-own-operate project will lessen Algeria's water scarcity issues. Currently, the people of Algeria are plagued with usable water challenges that range from drinking water shortages and irregular rainfall to aging infrastructure that can cause immense losses of water. Because of the scarcity of clean water, the residents of Algiers only receive water one out of every three days. Funded by GE (70%) and AEC (30%), Hamma will be the first private desalination reverse osmosis reverse osmosis n. The movement of a solvent in the opposite direction from osmosis in such a manner that the solvent moves from a solution of greater concentration through a membrane to a solution of lesser concentration. potable water project in Algeria. The project will also be the largest membrane desalination plant in Africa, as well as one of the largest desalination plants in the entire world. OPIC OPIC Overseas Private Investment Corporation OPIC Office de la Propriété Intellectuelle du Canada (French: Canadian Intellectual Property Office) OPIC Organization of Professional Immigration Consultants OPIC Ohio Public Interest Campaign , which helps U.S. businesses invest in new and emerging overseas markets, also financed $200 million towards the project. Construction on Hamma is scheduled to begin in July 2005 and is estimated to last 24 months. Hamma joins GE's expanding ecomagination and water scarcity solutions portfolio, which includes a wide-range of customized water solutions designed to create new sources of usable water for the potable, industrial and agricultural sectors, while lessening impacts on fresh water sources. GE's largest ecomagination project and the world's largest membrane-based water reclamation facility is the Sulaibiya facility in Kuwait. This facility purifies municipal wastewater to produce 100 million gallons per day of clean water for industry and agricultural uses. GE now has an installed base of more than 1,100 water treatment plants that can achieve flow rates ranging from 30,000 gallons/day to 100MM gallons/day. At GE's company-wide ecomagination launch in May, GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies showcased two environmentally friendly Environmentally friendly, also referred to as nature friendly, is a term used to refer to goods and services considered to inflict minimal harm on the environment.[1] products that meet GE's ecomagination criteria. The products aid the potable, industrial and agriculture industries in meeting their needs while also achieving regulatory compliance and minimizing environmental impacts. GE, Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies' ecomagination products include: GE's Water Scarcity Solutions: --By tapping into new sources of water, GE's Water Scarcity solutions remove saline from brackish brack·ish adj. 1. Having a somewhat salty taste, especially from containing a mixture of seawater and fresh water: "You could cut the brackish winds with a knife/Here in Nantucket" and seawater -- producing fresh, usable water for drinking, irrigation irrigation, in agriculture, artificial watering of the land. Although used chiefly in regions with annual rainfall of less than 20 in. (51 cm), it is also used in wetter areas to grow certain crops, e.g., rice. and industrial uses, which lessens stress placed on limited sources of fresh water as well as dependence placed on environmental factors, like irregular rainfall. Advanced Membrane and Separation Solutions Technologies: --GE's Advanced Membrane and Separation Solutions produces customized, clean, usable water that benefits a wide-range of industries. Industry depends on water as its lifeblood. GE's Advanced Membrane and Separation Solutions Technologies help industries, like the pharmaceutical, manufacturing and beverage, increase productivity, reduce energy and overall costs -- all while striking a positive balance between industrial and environmental needs. For more information on water scarcity solutions and ecomagination, please visit www.gewater.com. GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies, a unit of General Electric Company, is an industry leader in solving the world's most pressing water reuse, industrial, irrigation, municipal, and drinking water needs. Through desalination, advanced membrane, separation solutions, and water reuse and wastewater management and process technologies, GE delivers added value to its customers. By improving performance and product quality, reducing operating costs, and extending equipment life through a broad range of products and services that are designed to optimize total performance; protect customers' assets; prevent fouling and scaling; and safeguard the environment through water conservation and energy reduction. For more information on GE Infrastructure, Water & Process Technologies, visit www.gewater.com. |
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