The Bushnak family is interested in finding innovative solutions that contribute to improving the global environment. We have been active in developing projects and forming companies that managed to several contributions in the field.
Agriculture uses over 90% of the total water consumed in Saudi Arabia. Most of that water comes from non-renewable sources that will be depleted in the near future. Bushnak Group is seeking new technologies on how to produce more crops by each drop of water. In partnership with Tutori University of Japan and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), we are working to reduce the water consumed by palm trees in desert environment. A pilot nursery has started in 2006 close to Jeddah.
Saudi Arabia receives some of the most intense sunlight in the world: 105 trillion kilowatt hours a day, which is the equivalent of 10 billion barrels or crude oil in energy terms. Our cities produce daily mountains of solid waste which can produce needed energy for water & power plants. The global drive to reduce CO2 emissions will make renewable energy more competitive and desirable. Bushnak Group is teaming up with international industrial partners like Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, MHI, and research organizations like King Abdul-Aziz City for Science & Technology and the Arab Science & Technology Foundation to build a solar desalination plant, using the best up-to-date technology. The purpose of this pilot plant is to attract venture capital investors to develop commercial applications for large solar desalination plants. The brine of desalination plants contains many valuable salts that can be recovered using renewable energy to establish new industries that reduce the cost of desalination.
Dr. Adil Bushnak was a co-founder and the chairman of Arabian Saline Agriculture Co. (Behar) which established the world first commercial scale pilot farm (300 hectares) irrigated directly by sea water to produce fodder and vegetable oil. Behar developed the technology to prove that Saudi Arabia can save 25% of its fresh water consumption by using seawater to produce animal feed.