Water is a precious and increasingly scarce resource, but current desalination methods often contribute to the problem of climate change due to their high consumption of fossil fuel energy. Oneka Technologies has found an innovative solution to this dilemma: modular buoys that exploit the motion of the waves to power on-board desalination plants, producing fresh water without greenhouse gas emissions.
This revolutionary technology could change the face of desalination, making it more sustainable and environmentally friendly.
The paradox of desalination
Irony of fate? As desalination becomes increasingly necessary due to climate change and unpredictability of weather conditions, the industry itself contributes to global warming. The reason? The high energy needs of the plants, which translates into a greater use of fossil fuels. It's a vicious circle that seems impossible to break... or maybe not?
These modular buoys that exploit wave motion to power on-board desalination plants produce fresh water without emitting a single gram of greenhouse gases. And that's not all: the system only discharges eco-friendly brine with a low salt content slightly higher than that of sea water, therefore with an absolutely negligible impact on marine flora and fauna. Brilliant, right?
Fresh water for all your needs
If you think this is a pilot or prospective project, you are wrong. Oneka is super market oriented, so much so that it has designed buoys of different sizes to satisfy a wide range of needs.
Il Glacier, currently under development, will produce up to 500 cubic meters of fresh water per day for municipalities and large coastal industries. L'Iceberg can produce 50 cubic meters per day for commercial-scale projects. And for humanitarian and relief interventions in the event of natural disasters, there is theIcecube, with a production capacity of 1 cubic meter of fresh water per day. There's something for all tastes.
A greener future thanks to blue investments
In the fall of 2023, Oneka announced the closure of a loan from 12,5 million Canadian dollars (approximately 8,5 million euros). Marie-Cécile Cléroux, Marketing and Communications Coordinator, says the company is focused on deploying the buoys to new regions and scaling up its operations to meet the growing demand for sustainable freshwater solutions.
Harnessing the power of waves, these desalination buoys are charting a new course towards a future where fresh water is abundant and environmental impact is minimized. From the looks of it, the future of desalination promises to be eventful… in the best sense of the word.
