Acevedo, Diego

Position / Title

Senior Lecturer SISSTEM / Program Coordinator of SISSTEM Bachelor

Department

SISSTEM (Faculty of Arts and Science)

Email Address

diego.acevedo@ua.aw

ORCID

0000-0002-3679-7571

Fields of Specialization

Valorization Strategies
Technology Assessment
Separation Technology
Sustainable Energy on Island Nations
Industrial Ecological Systems with Multiple-input and Multiple-outs
Strategies Towards Development of a Circular Economy in the Dutch Caribbean and Broader Caribbean
Entrepreneurship

Last updated January 22, 2026

Biography

Diego Acevedo is a senior lecturer and researcher at the University of Aruba. His research is focused on the Valorization of Reverse Osmosis Brines, in essence looking at the economic value that the brine left over from the desalination process with a specific focus on the value for small islands dependent on desalination systems. Diego holds a BSc degree in Mechanical Engineering (magna cum laude) from the University of Florida and a MSc degree in Sustainable Energy Technologies from TU Delft (The Netherlands). He has previously worked on the development of innovative technological solutions related to marine energy, district cooling networks, potable water generation, and marine-based floating solar PV electricity generation. Some highlights of his work include being the founder of Eneda Engineering Services VBA, an Engineering Consultancy firm focused on Renewable Energy and Circular Economy with a special focus on Marine and Island solutions; and being co-founder of Bluerise BV, now part of Allseas Engineering BV, working on Ocean Thermal Energy Technology development.

Publication Search Results

Now showing 1 - 10 of 20

Metadata only
Keynote address. Innovative Sustainable Solutions for Island Communities: Integrating Technology and Nature
(2025-12-12) Acevedo, Diego
Small tropical island like Aruba have long been living with the food, energy, and water challenges the rest of the world is expected to face in coming decades. This keynote frames islands as climate-smart “living labs” that can show the way by integrating technology and nature. Through an energy–water–food nexus lens, it highlights practical pathways: renewable energy and efficiency, resilient water supply and reuse, circular valorization of waste streams, and nature-based protection of coastal and freshwater systems, supported by partnerships, skills development, and innovative finance to scale impact. The SISSTEM program at the University of Aruba is used an example of one of the pathways forward.
Metadata only
From waste to value: exploring magnesium recovery from desalination brines as a circular economy enabler in small island states
(Elsevier, 2025-11-18) Acevedo, Diego; van der Bruggen, Bart
Desalination is an essential part of the water security puzzle in small island states, and is evident in the Caribbean where desalination usage continues to grow. Desalination technology brings with it production of brines which are often considered a waste stream of the process. This research focuses on the possibilities of valorization of RO brines, including the selective recovery of magnesium as a strategy to reduce environmental impact and enable new value chains linked to decarbonization. The study combines modeling and process integration assessments. Magnesium can be recovered as Mg(OH)₂ and further processed to MgCl₂ suitable for industrial applications. Recovery is achieved through pH-controlled precipitation supported by membrane concentration and renewable-powered systems. The process can also be coupled to an electrochemical process to enable co-production of pure magnesium metal, caustic soda, chlorine, or hydrogen. A case study for Aruba shows that co-locating the system with existing desalination and energy infrastructure can reduce environmental impacts while generating new economic opportunities. The modular design allows adaptation to other coastal or island contexts. This work supports the transition from linear desalination systems to circular, multi-output platforms that contribute to local sustainability and resilience.
Open Access
From Brine to Resource: Closing the Water Loop for Small Islands
(University of South Florida, 2025-11-18) Acevedo, Diego
Metadata only
Metabolism of Islands
(International Society for Industrial Ecology (ISIE), in partnership with Metabolism of Islands (MoI) and the Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE) program of the U.K. and Canada, 2025-10) Acevedo, Diego; Mettes, Christie; Mijts, Eric; de Scisciolo, Tobia; Ulacio, Alexandra
Metabolism of Islands: This 34-minute documentary explores the provocative question: Can a small island truly achieve sustainability? Drawing on the powerful analogy that islands, much like living organisms, metabolize materials and energy to sustain their populations, the film reveals how unsustainable resource-use patterns—an “island metabolism” out of balance—can weaken resilience and amplify vulnerability to climate shocks. The “Metabolism of Islands” introduces a ground-breaking, evidence-based systems perspective that moves beyond short-term fixes toward holistic strategies for long-term sustainability. Featuring voices from across the world’s small island nations, the documentary brings together science, storytelling, and lived experience to illuminate both the challenges and pathways to resilience. Conceived and directed by Simron Singh, and edited by Alexandra Ulacio, the film is a collaborative global effort produced and funded by the International Society for Industrial Ecology (ISIE), in partnership with Metabolism of Islands (MoI) and the Climate Adaptation and Resilience (CLARE) program of the U.K. and Canada.
Metadata only
Finanzas Azules para la Restauración Marino-Costera (Panel)
(2025-10-01) Acevedo, Diego
The contribution in this panel emphasized the need to innovate climate-finance mechanisms beyond conventional 'green' and 'blue' bonds to better fund high-impact, locally grounded solutions. I highlighted the potential to adapt the concepts of Development Impact Bonds, layering outcome-based payments, blended capital, and risk-sharing, thus improving bankability and scale for climate projects. I also argued for financing models that build trust in SMEs and entrepreneurs, including sustainability-focused microcredit institutions (e.g., Qredits) that can combine tailored lending, technical assistance, and credible sustainability criteria to accelerate adoption and measurable climate outcomes.
Metadata only
From water challenges to opportunities: Water solutions from islands with global impact
(2025-06-18) Acevedo, Diego
Small islands face acute water risks driven by limited freshwater availability, climate extremes, and dependence on energy-intensive supply systems. This presentation reframes island water management from a scarcity problem to an innovation platform, highlighting solutions with global relevance: resilient desalination and distribution, wastewater reuse, nature-based protection, and circular approaches that valorize residual streams. By linking water security to disaster risk reduction and energy planning, islands can pioneer integrated models that improve affordability, reliability, and environmental performance, lessons increasingly applicable to coastal and water-stressed regions worldwide.
Open Access
How island researchers navigate the wicked nature of small island research. A conversation continued
(2025-06) Mertens, Anouk; Acevedo, Diego; Arens, Patrick; Becker, Tatiana; Brinklow, Laurie; de Scisciolo, Tobia; Drew, Ryan; Facun, Kryss; Hall, Iain; Halliday, Andrew Mark; John, Nigel; López Márquez, Violeta; McDonald, Anne; Mitchell, Jean; Moncada, Stefano; Noll, Dominik; Richardson, Yolanda; Sultan, Salys; van Veghel, Amber; Werleman, Stephanie; Mijts, Eric
Small islands across the globe face the direct consequences of climate change and alarming biodiversity loss. In this context, islands and islanders are sometimes framed as a “litmus test” or “the ideal laboratory” for experiments to advise larger continental areas on how to address the effects of climate change and the biodiversity crisis. Due to the specific island context, islanders are the primary problem solvers in addressing and mitigating these challenges, and finding ways to adapt to them; however, in the first place, to protect their territories, populations, ecosystems, and cultures. It is therefore crucial and urgent to adopt and integrate inter- and transdisciplinary scientific knowledge embedded within the local contexts. Given their leadership role, island-centred research by the local island-based knowledge institutes and researchers is key. Island-centred research should play a pivotal role in generating contextualized knowledge and solutions, whether or not embedded in reciprocal international partnerships with other knowledge institutes. In this presentation, we will dive deeper into the island researchers’ operating space for such island-centred research, based on insights from semi-structured interviews and interactive sessions with island researchers from a wide range of contexts and disciplines. Our data reveal that despite the many challenges of conducting research from within the islands (incl. availability and accessibility of data, or technical and logistic challenges, funding, etc.), island researchers have found an array of ways to overcome these challenges and to produce valuable and impactful results for their societies and the rest of the world. This contribution aims to be a conversation starter amongst island researchers from insular and continental (institutional) contexts to further strengthen productive and equal collaborations in island-centred research.
Open Access
From ocean to Kilowatt-waters: The Role of Ocean in a Changing World
(2025-05-27) Osorio, Andres; Acevedo, Diego
Open Access
ICMS 2025 From island to the global oceans
(Cemarin/Uiversity of Aruba, 2025-05-26) Osorio, Andrés Fernando; Acevedo, Diego
The International Conference of Marine Science - ICMS was created as a unique space for transdisciplinary dialogue on the challenges faced by our oceans and coastal societies. At CEMarin, we have promoted this initiative with the conviction that science, in connection with territories and their communities, can only advance when spaces are opened for the exchange of different forms of knowledge and disciplines. In this edition, we chose Aruba Island as a setting and living lab. There, ecosystems - coral reef, mangroves, seagrasses - intertwine with tangible problems: conservation, restoration, access to water, energy transition, and public policy development. The island allowed us to see how local challenges become windows into global issues, and how applied science can generate solutions that transcend borders. Two elements deeply marked this meeting. First, the richness of a transdisciplinary dialogue that brought together biologists, engineers, economists, sociologists, and decision-makers around an unified vision: rethinking islands as strategic spaces for sustainability. Second, the connection with real challenges, discussed openly between local communities and scientists, making the ICMS a pioneering forum for science applied to territory. The participation of keynote and international speakers from different continents enriched this exchange with global perspectives: from Japan to Mexico, from the United States to Europe, and of course, with Latin American and Caribbean experiences. This diversity not only strengthened the scientific dialogue but also allowed us to share cultural visions, consolidating an unprecedented event. Today, we proudly present the ICMS Proceedings, a legacy of knowledge, reflection, and proposals. These pages seek to extend the dialogue initiated in Aruba, inspiring new collaborations and reminding us that science, when designed and carried out for the territories, can become a driving force for real and sustainable solutions. We invite participants and future generations of researchers to continue along this collective path toward a more harmonious relationship between humankind, islands, and the ocean.
Metadata only
Diego Acevedo: Universidad di Aruba ta organisa conferencia di ciencia marina
(24Ora, 2025-05-19) Acevedo, Diego
https://24ora.com/diego-acevedo-universidad-di-aruba-ta-organisa-conferencia-di-ciencia-marina/ Universidad di Aruba, specificamente e facultad di SISSTEM (Sustainable Engineering) ta organisando un conferencia di ciencia marino unda cu lo ta treciendo expertonan internacional di ciencia marino pa papia tocante e tema. Den entrevista cu phd. Diego Acevedo, Program manager- SISSTEM, nos a puntra dicon a kies Aruba pa e conferencia. Segun Acevedo, Aruba ta un isla rondona di awa. P’esey a dicidi cu Aruba ta un ehempel perfecto pa papia over di e diferente problema cu e lama y su ecosistema maritimo ta enfrenta. E conferencia lo tuma luga di dia 26 pa 28 di mei proximo y por registra na www.icms-2025.com.