The UK Supply Chain innovation for Offshore Renewable Energy (SCORE) programme awarded a grant to develop the unit. Most desalination units require a large commercial power source and as such are often located near to power stations. This method is therefore not suitable for remote areas and is very energy intensive.
4NRg desalination unit can harness the power of sea, through wave or tidal energy, in order to create fresh drinking water.
The unit is currently only at the prototype stage so the next step for 4NRg is to upscale the prototype to a large enough size for it to be tested. It will then be independently assessed and have the amount of water produced and its quality evaluated in order to illustrate its potential to commercial developers.
This initial pilot project is planned to take nine months, with the first up-scaled device being ready for testing in three to six months, either in a large testing tank or potentially in the sea.
Disaster areas
“There are other desalination units on the market and in the development stages, but none are comparative to this one due to it not requiring electricity,” said Mark Aspinall, business development director for 4NRg. “If all goes to plan this unit could also be widely used in disaster areas where fresh water is often a scarce, yet crucial, resource.”
“Helping projects like 4NRg’s desalination unit get off the ground are what the SCORE programme is all about,” said Richard Salmon, project manager and business advisor for SCORE. “The potential for the use of this unit within the offshore industry and beyond is vast.
“The SCORE programme is almost six months in now but there is still a large pot of funding to give away. So, we would love to hear from anyone with an innovative idea to benefit the offshore renewable sector.”
