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Funding programme and call:
ERANet-LAC 3rd Multi-Thematic Joint Call 2017/2018 involving Research
Infrastructures / Topic:
Energy #1:Ocean energy: Development of Technologies for the ecological Energy Valorization
of Marine Resources within existing Large Research Infrastructures

Duration:
36 months

Total budget:
498,283.00 €

Budget for PLOCAN:
91,500.00€

Total funding:
441,558.00 €

Funding for PLOCAN:
43,500.00 €

Coordinator:
International Center for Numerical
Methods in Engineering (ES)

Partners:
CIMNE (ES) - FRAUNHOFER (DE) -
UNAM (MX) - PLOCAN (ES) - PUCMM
(DO) - UAB (ES)

Transnational cooperation for development of a solution for saving energy and water in small near coast facilities using simple devices harnessing the ocean energy

COOSW is a transnational cooperation for the development of a solution for saving energy and water in small near coast facilities using simple devices harnessing ocean energy. As a solution we propose the use of devices that use seawater temperature and waves for desalination and refrigeration. The proposed solution, named COOSW solution, combines the use of three technologies. The use of the COOSW solution will allow to reduce the impact that the deployment of global supply facilities has on landscape and biodiversity, and reduce the risk for climate events that are less vulnerable due to their less spatial extension increasing the autonom  of small facilities. The final solution uses: (i) WEC (Wave Energy Converters) to gain energy from waves that is used for pumping colder seawater from deeper layers, (ii) this cold water from the sea for refrigeration with SWAC (Seawater Air Conditioning) technology and; (iii) the temperature gradient between the colder pumped water and the warm water produced by SWAC for desalination using COOL STEAM technology, a low¬ temperature thermal desalination method that needs temperature gradient for its implementation. The proof of concept of the COOSW solution will be installed in the PLOCAN facilities on the island of Gran Canaria (Spain), and in the Puerto Plata facilities in Dominican Republic. Another possibility that will be explored in the project is the use of WEC technologies to provide energy for deaireation and pumping warmer shallow waters in the process of seawater evaporation of COOL STEAM, using a floating pipeline collector facility arranged on the sea surface. The creation of a new technology using seawater energy (heat, waves) should reduce energy consumption for refrigeration or desalination which implies a decrease of energy production requirement and, therefore, reduction of greenhouse gases emissions. So, this energy saving implies water saving and lower environmental impact.