As I began researching desalination technology for a new article, I found myself captivated by the statistics.
I had an awareness that desalination—extracting salt from seawater to create fresh water—was becoming a vital technology, particularly in areas facing water shortages like the Middle East. However, the degree to which certain nations depend on desalination and the scale of this industry still astonished me.
For additional insights into how this essential water infrastructure is becoming more susceptible amid the conflict in Iran, refer to my latest article. Here, however, let’s examine the status of desalination technology through the lens of statistics.
Desalination accounts for 77% of all fresh water and 99% of drinking water in Qatar.
On a global scale, desalination provides only 1% of fresh-water withdrawals. Yet for certain Middle Eastern nations, especially those in the Gulf Cooperation Council (Bahrain, Qatar, Kuwait, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, and Oman), it is indispensable.
Qatar, with a population exceeding 3 million, stands out as a striking example, with nearly all of its drinking water supplies sourced from desalination. Many major urban centers in the region would be unviable without this technology. The Arabian Peninsula lacks permanent rivers, and fresh water supplies are severely limited, compelling countries to depend on facilities that can intake seawater and remove the salt and other contaminants.
The Middle East represents merely 6% of the global population while hosting over 27% of its desalination facilities.
The region has historically struggled with water scarcity, and this issue persists as climate change elevates temperatures and alters rainfall patterns.
Out of the 17,910 desalination facilities operating worldwide, 4,897 are situated in the Middle East, according to a 2026 study published in npj Clean Water. This technology provides not only municipal water for homes and businesses but also serves industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, and increasingly, data centers.
A significant desalination facility in Saudi Arabia generates over 1 million cubic meters of fresh water daily.
The Ras Al-Khair water and power plant in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia exemplifies a growing trend of massive plants that produce over a million cubic meters of water each day. This volume can satisfy the needs of millions residing in Riyadh City. The energy required for production is substantial—the associated power plant has a capacity of 2.4 gigawatts.
Although this facility is just one of countless in the region, it typifies a broader trend: The average size of desalination plants has increased to roughly ten times what it was 15 years ago, based on data from the International Energy Agency. Communities are leaning towards larger plants, which tend to produce water more efficiently than their smaller counterparts.
Between 2024 and 2028, the Middle East’s desalination capacity may advance by over 40%.
The importance of desalination will only escalate in the Middle East. The region is projected to invest more than $25 billion in capital expenditures for desalination facilities from 2024 to 2028, according to a 2026 npj Clean Water study. Substantial plants are anticipated to become operational in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, and Egypt in that timeframe.
This expansion could generate substantial electricity demand. Due to the general growth of this technology and the shift toward plants powered by electricity rather than fossil fuels, desalination could contribute an additional 190 terawatt-hours of electricity demand globally by 2035, according to IEA data. This equates to the energy consumption of about 60 million households.
This article originates from The Spark, MIT Technology Review’s weekly climate newsletter. To receive it in your inbox every Wednesday, sign up here.
