The Saudi Water Authority (SWA) has announced a new global achievement, marking a milestone in the transformation led by the Kingdom in the water sector from operational excellence in production to redefining efficiency itself.

The achievement was recorded in the Guinness World Record through a mobile unit within the Yanbu production plant, which achieved the lowest energy consumption level globally at 1.55kWh per cubic metre.

The SWA said this figure reflects the outcome of a research, engineering and operational pathway aimed at addressing one of the most complex challenges in the desalination industry, reducing energy consumption without compromising reliability or production quality.

Through an integrated design combining advanced reverse osmosis technologies with precise operational engineering enhancements, energy consumption was reduced from 1.7kWh to 1.5kWh, reaching an unprecedented level of efficiency recognised internationally by Guinness.

SWA noted that this unit represents a strategic solution rather than a temporary alternative, as an operational model was developed that integrates environmentally friendly technologies and advanced filtration systems, making it a scalable and replicable model across different operating environments.

The SWA added that this achievement strengthens the Kingdom’s position not only as the world’s largest producer of desalinated water, but also as a driving force behind a qualitative transformation in the future of desalination, led by national capabilities advancing progress in this sector.