Supply and installation of a desalination plant on the island of Thirasia with Renewable Energy Sources

About this project

<p style="text-align: justify">One of the most important problems in insular Greece is securing the necessary drinking water for the needs of local communities. In recent years, desalination plants have been installed on many Greek islands, in order to deal with the growing demand for drinking water. The island of Santorini is an illustrative example, as in recent years there has been an expansion of desalination units, due to tourism development. Meeting the electricity needs of desalination plants is also a major challenge. Today, in the majority of desalination plants in the Greek islands, electricity is produced using conventional production methods, based on fossil fuels. At the same time, on these islands there is an abundance of renewable energy sources that can be exploited, such as wind energy and solar energy.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Therefore, in the context of the specific project, it is proposed to install a new desalination unit on the island of Thirasia, with a total capacity of 200 m3 per day, to cover the increased demands of the island. The new unit will be installed near the already existing desalination unit and its energy requirements will be covered by renewable energy sources, through the net-metering method. In particular, it is proposed to install a photovoltaic installation, with a total power of 60 kW, near the Thirasia desalination plant. Responsible for project implementation is the Municipal Water Supply and Sewerage Company of Thira.</p> <p style="text-align: justify">Finally, the project will be implemented in collaboration with the Norwegian University of Stavanger, where the studies will be carried out, to improve the performance and reliability of the systems</p>

Bilateral cooperation results

Development of bilateral activities between institutions of the donor countries and Greece for the exchange and transfer of knowledge and experience and for the strengthening of networking and future cooperation between them, consisting of a financial analysis (feasibility study) of operation of the desalination unit using solar panels.

Project partners

• University of Stavanger Donor project partner· Norway