28. Contribution to Implementing a Fair Water and Energy Exchange Between Israel and Jordan

Jordan is heading towards a serious water crisis, facing a freshwater deficit of about 712 million m³ per year by 2050. Seawater desalination is the only suitable option to mitigate water scarcity in the region. However, Jordan has only a short coastline at Aqaba in the South, at a great distance to the demand center Amman in the North. Therefore, transboundary water production and transfer (WPT) strategies are essential. In this respect, Israel and Jordan have recently signed a declaration of intent (DoI) to intensify their cooperation through freshwater supply in exchange for renewable energy. This article assesses and discusses the feasibility and economic viability of a water-energy SWAP between Israel and Jordan, based on the results from the SALAM II initiative. The following steps were taken: (1) identification of alternative sites for seawater desalination (SWD) on the Mediterranean coast of Israel, (2) identification of optimal routes for water transfer between the SWD-plants and demand centers, (3) selection of promising strategies for water production and transfer, (4) selection of options for renewable energy production by photovoltaics in Jordan, (5) analysis of energy transfer to Israel. This article indicates that doubling the SWAP capacity compared to the recently signed DoI by Israel and Jordan will be necessary by 2050. In addition, a promising bartering strategy consists of the water production and transfer of 400 MCM/y freshwaters from large-scale SWD North of Haifa Bay in exchange for 12.8 TWh/y in renewable energies produced in Jordan. Installing a 5.8 GWp PV plant with an area of ~ 72.9 km² in the Disi area in Jordan could provide the necessary energy production for such a SWAP concept.