PLOCAN is to help in the design of a marine area to the north of Gran Canaria for installing prototypes that harness the energy of the waves to supply electricity to one of the desalination plants managed by the Gran Canaria Water Board as part of the DESAL+ project.

The objective of the project is to create and consolidate a joint “Living Lab” platform, conceived as a research infrastructure of excellence in the field of water desalination and related areas, highlighting the connection between desalinated water and energy.

The PLOCAN study will include an analysis of the oceanographic conditions of the marine environment in the pilot study area and a revisio of the legislation governing the sector concerning harnessing marine energies for self-consumption.

The consortium of fifteen entities from the Canary Islands, Madeira, Cape Verde and Mauritania that form part of DESAL+, led by the Canary Island Institute of Technology, is as follows: Canary Island Research, Innovation and Information Society Agency, the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, University of La Laguna, Canary Island Water Centre Foundation, Gran Canaria Water Board, El Hierro Water Board, The Joint Municipal Area of the South East of Gran Canaria, Águas e Resíduos da Madeira, Agência Nacional de Águas e Saneamento, University of Cabo Verde, Agence de Promotion de l'Accès Universel aux Services, Univiersité de Nouakchott Al Aasriya, NGO Agir en Faveur de l'Environnement and PLOCAN.

The DESAL+ project also has the support of four companies that are participating as associate entities to develop demonstration activities: Soslaires Canarias S.L.; Canaragua Concesiones S.A.; Empresa Mixta de Aguas de Las Palmas, S.A. and Águas de Ponta Preta Lda.

The priorities of the Canary Island Smart Specialisation Strategy (RIS3) include acting as a Smart Atlantic benchmark through Blue Growth-related research and technology. The DESAL+ project is co-funded by the Regional Co-operation Programme INTERREG V A Spain-Portugal (MAC 2014-2020) / Cross-border Co-operation. PLOCAN is also participating in another four projects from the last Interreg call for projects, leading the ECOMARPORT project and acting as a partner in the MARCET, SMART BLUE and RIS3-NET projects.