In March 2020, Northwestern University announced in Northwestern Now, together with BGN Technologies, the technology transfer arm of Ben-Gurion University, the launch of the Collaborative Water-Energy Research Center (CoWERC). Its budget totalled US$21.4 million, including US$9.2 million over five years from energy authorities of both countries and the Israel Innovation Authority. Research covered efficient water supply, wastewater reuse and water-energy systems; co-director Aaron Packman explicitly named lower energy use in desalination. Partners included Mekorot, Fluence, DuPont Water Solutions and Evoqua.
The report showed that the energy demand of desalination was treated as a shared research field for universities, utilities and manufacturers, with pilot tests planned at facilities in Israel and the US.
Source: Northwestern Now