6. Research & Development

6.1 Fresh water production by adsorption

Access to water, and drinking water in particular, remains a global challenge affecting over 2 billion people. What's more, with global warming, water stress is set to increase in the decades ahead. Adsorption can help meet this challenge through two techniques:

• on the one hand, via seawater desalination;

• and via the collection of atmospheric water.

Development studies are being carried out, notably in the Middle East, on desalination by adsorption, using either solar energy or waste heat from refineries or thermal power plants, for example. For the time being, adsorption desalination demonstration pilots have been carried out,...