General – Canada
Yesterday, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster (OSC) announced the $14.1 million Oneka Glacier Project – Utility-Scale Wave Powered Sustainable Desalination, led by Oneka Technologies.
In the project, Oneka will scale up its wave-powered desalination technology to utility-scale, creating a desalination Glacier system to make the ocean a sustainable and affordable source of freshwater.
Oneka Technologies will work with project partners AF Theriault who is supporting the manufacturing the hull and structure of the Glaciers’; H2O Innovation who is providing the process plant for the desalination portion of the Glacier technology; and government partner, the City of Barrington, NS who will provide a coastal site for buoy installation at Cape Sable Island.
With a total project value of $14.1 million, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster will provide $6.7 million in funding with the balance of coming from project partners.
Since the ocean contains almost all the world’s water and approximately half the world’s population lives within 100 km of a coast, there is a significant opportunity for portable, modular, energy efficient desalination plants in coastal areas. The project team will use breakthrough technology to harness wave power to produce fresh water, producing no GHG emissions, requiring minimal land, and employing responsible brine-using modular units for water-scarce regions globally while also reducing water costs by two-thirds or more in identified markets.
Through the Oneka Glacier Project and the technological advancements it employs, Canada can become the global hub of ocean-supplied sustainable freshwater for coastal populations and industries by exporting this high-value technology around the world, helping realize its ambition of bringing fresh water to all communities.
“Through this investment, our government is supporting breakthrough wave-power technology that will enable the production of fresh water at a very low cost and without GHG emissions. Scaling up this project is key for the company’s ability to create well-paying jobs, accelerate its commercialization efforts and seize export opportunities,” said François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry.
Kendra MacDonald, CEO, Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, said: “We are extremely excited to announce the Oneka Glacier project, our first ever Quebec-led project that will not only deliver new economic activity in ocean, but also create a solution to a significant challenge – access to freshwater for communities of all sizes. We are inspired by the innovation of this project team and excited that Canada’s Ocean Supercluster can help make it a reality.”
“As Canadians, we are privileged with an abundance of freshwater. However, freshwater scarcity is one of the world’s greatest 21st century challenges. I am proud that we team up with incredible partners, H2O Innovation and AF Theriault to develop our Glacier unit and bring our know-how and expertise to the rest of the world. Propelled by the invaluable help of Canada’s Ocean Supercluster, this sustainable source of water will make coastal populations and industries across the globe, including the Barrington Municipality, in Nova Scotia, more resilient to impacts of climate change,” said Dragan Tutic, CEO and Founder of Oneka Technologies.
