Water investments between an oil nation and a startup nation

mars-science-city-skylight
Watery skylight in Mars Science City

A first-of-its-kind agreement was signed in Abu Dhabi on June 1 to launch a joint Israeli-Emirati Water Research Institute. We predicted all these wonderful new water alliances after peace between Israel and the UAE was forged

The new water research institute is being established as part of a strategic commercial collaboration between Watergen, an Israeli water-from-air technology company, and Baynunah, a sister company of Al Dahra Group, an Emirati agriculture group that specializes in food security. It will be working in close collaboration with the Moshe Mirilashvili Institute for Applied Water Studies at Tel Aviv University.

Professor Milette Shamir from Tel Aviv University said: “Research at the joint water institute will build on our special academic strengths and will open a path for collaboration with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in other mutual areas of research, as well as to student and faculty exchange programs.”

milette shamir

Besides academic cooperation, Watergen and Baynunah laid the cornerstone for a Watergen production facility in the UAE. This joint venture will commercialize Watergen products in the UAE, the Gulf States, and Africa.

This joint venture has already been collaborating with the Abu Dhabi municipality, leading to dozens of Watergen devices already deployed around the city for the benefit of its residents, forming the initial stage of one of this joint venture missions: to deploy thousands of Watergen devices all across the UAE. 

Watergen’s innovative technology enables the production of top-quality pure and fresh drinking water solely from the air. Its devices use a standard connection to electricity or other alternative energy sources such as solar panels and can produce up to 6,000 liters of top-quality pure drinking water per day. One of Green Prophet’s criticisms of the technology is that it requires a significant energy input. 

watergen water from think air
A Watergen unit

Today, Watergen’s devices are deployed in more than 80 countries around the world and are located in remote villages, hospitals, city centers, public parks, schools, office buildings, and even in disaster-struck areas. The partnership between Watergen and Baynunah expends the commercial footprint of Watergen in the region, while serving as a catalyst in strengthening the ties between the two nations.   

Peaceful projects built under US-brokered Abraham Accords

“The Abraham Accords have given countries in the Middle East the opportunity to improve and advance relations in various fields,” says Dr. Michael Mirilashvili, Watergen’s President and CEO. “Thanks to the agreements, we — an Israeli company — are able to cooperate with our Middle East neighbors to solve one the region’s difficult problems, water scarcity.

al dahra

“Throughout history, conflicts have often been centered around controlling water sources. Today we are doing the opposite: building peace and a common future around a groundbreaking Israeli technology that will provide a plug-and-play solution which allows all residents of the UAE and the world an unlimited access to off-grid, top-quality, and pure drinking water.”

Karin Kloosterman
Karin Kloostermanhttp://www.greenprophet.com
Karin Kloosterman is an award-winning journalist, innovation strategist, and founder of Green Prophet, one of the Middle East’s pioneering sustainability platforms. She has ranked in the Top 10 of Verizon innovation competitions, participated in NASA-linked challenges, and spoken worldwide on climate, food security, and future resilience. With an IoT technology patent, features in Canada’s National Post, and leadership inside teams building next-generation agricultural and planetary systems — including Mars-farming concepts — Karin operates at the intersection of storytelling, science, and systems change. She doesn’t report on the future – she helps design it. Reach out directly to [email protected]

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