LG Chem Secures Large-Scale Order for Israel Seawater Desalination Reverse Osmosis Membranes

Supply of 30,000 Units to Ashdod Desalination Project
Producing Over One-Third of 2024 Freshwater Output

LG Chem is launching a large-scale seawater desalination reverse osmosis membrane project in Israel.

On the 18th, LG Chem announced that it has been selected as the sole supplier of reverse osmosis membranes for the Ashdod desalination project in Israel. The Ashdod project is one of Israel's top five desalination plants and is jointly owned by the global engineering company Shapir and the water treatment company GES.

LG Chem Reverse Osmosis Membranes to Be Introduced at Ashdod Seawater Desalination Plant in Israel

LG Chem plans to supply a total of about 30,000 reverse osmosis membranes to the Ashdod desalination plant from the second half of the year until the end of the year. These 30,000 reverse osmosis membranes can desalinate 100 million tons of seawater annually, or 336,000 tons per day, producing water sufficient for approximately 1.1 million people.

Once the plant is fully operational in 2024, the volume of water purified by LG Chem’s reverse osmosis membranes in Israel will reach a combined annual total of 300 million tons, or 825,000 tons per day, including existing desalination plants in Palmachim, Hadera, and Ashkelon. This accounts for nearly one-third of all desalinated water used throughout Israel.

In particular, since desalination facilities require reverse osmosis membrane replacements every few years, demand for LG Chem’s membranes is expected to continue expanding.

LG Chem’s reverse osmosis membranes achieve a salt removal rate of 99.89%. When seawater passes through, only 11 out of 10,000 sodium chloride molecules remain, representing world-class performance. Using thin-film nanocomposite technology, nano particles are applied to the membrane surface to maintain salt removal efficiency while providing over 20% higher flow rates compared to competitors’ products. Another feature is that it requires less pressure, enabling energy savings.

The amount of water purified by LG Chem's reverse osmosis membranes in the Mediterranean region

Based on orders in the Israeli region, LG Chem plans to expand its market share in the Mediterranean region. The Mediterranean coast, including North Africa and Israel, is hot and dry, making it difficult to obtain fresh water. Since most drinking water depends on seawater desalination facilities, there is high demand for high-performance reverse osmosis membranes.

Since starting its water treatment filter business in 2014, LG Chem has steadily increased orders, and currently, the volume of water purified using LG Chem’s reverse osmosis membranes is 1.86 billion tons annually. This is the amount consumed by 17 million people. In places such as Egypt and the Spanish Canary Islands, more than 50% of the total water demand relies on LG Chem’s reverse osmosis membranes.

Hyung Hoon, LG Chem’s Executive Director in charge of the Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filter Business, said, "By securing a large-scale project in Ashdod, Israel, we have solidified our position in the key Mediterranean market. Based on industry-leading technology and order achievements, we will provide cleaner water and water treatment solutions to customers worldwide."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.