Cooperation with Ukraine Solar-powered desalination plants provide secure drinking water supply

    Since February 2022, Russia has repeatedly attacked local municipalities in Ukraine, including a city on the Black Sea coast. Cluster bombs destroyed its electricity and water supply infrastructure in summer 2022, after which only salt water came out of the taps. But now, solar-powered water treatment plants are converting salt water from groundwater and rivers into drinking water. This water treatment system operates independently of the grid electricity supply, which is frequently interrupted in many places. The system is also making an important contribution to the reconstruction of the local water infrastructure and is creating new jobs.

    Support for recovery and reconstruction and mitigating the impact of the war are key elements of the BMZ’s strategic partnership with Ukraine. The activities in the Black Sea region were carried out by DEG Impulse gGmbH as part of the BMZ’s develoPPP funding programme. DEG Impulse is partnering with the Berlin-based company Boreal Light, which, in addition to providing financial support, has contributed its expertise in the manufacture, installation and operation of solar-powered, off-grid water desalination plants. The company’s solar-powered water desalination plants have proved their worth in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East as simple and effective systems, particularly in areas without a reliable electricity supply. The water desalination plants are designed to function effectively even during a crisis: they operate independently from the fragile electricity grid, and are easy and cost-effective to run. This makes them a good solution for many Ukrainian cities as well.

    Five units have been manufactured in Berlin and delivered to Ukraine. In addition, Boreal Light is providing 10 UV disinfection systems and training 25 local staff members in operation and maintenance. A system has also been set up to monitor water quality remotely, with data available online.

    Container housing a water desalination system.

    The solar-powered plants supply up to 125,000 litres of clean drinking water per hour to around 460,000 people. Using solar energy for water treatment saves four tonnes of CO2 per day. It is cost-effective and does not place any additional strain on the already fragile electricity grid. Following the successful completion of the develoPPP project, Boreal Light is continuing to expand its work in the region: a further 50 water treatment plants are planned for the surrounding area – small plants being much harder to destroy than large ones.