Little by little, new details are becoming known about the announcement made by the Climate Action Minister, Davida Mascort, to build a floating desalination plant in the port of Barcelona. The outlined plan is being coordinated by ATL, the public company of the Generalitat responsible for producing and distributing water in the region served by the Ter and Llobregat.
The models that inspire this plan are the existing plants in Saudi Arabia and Oman, according to ATL sources. The example cited is that of the floating desalination plant (installed on a barge) launched in January 2022 next to the port of Al Shuqaiq, in Saudi Arabia. This plant is known as Metito 1, in reference to the company responsible for its construction and operation (Metito Overseas Ltd, Metito Group), based in Dubai. Metito 1 has a production capacity of 50,000 cubic meters of water.
“There are very few precedents in the world, and in Spain none have been done,” says Domingo Zarzo, president of the Spanish Desalination and Reuse Association.
ATL technicians consider that water collection can be carried out in the port of Barcelona itself. This is supported by analyzes carried out in recent years in these waters, which are subject to continuous monitoring to evaluate the possible presence of hydrocarbons. They are, therefore, not analyzes made specifically for this occasion but rather available thanks to the usual controls. And the conclusion is that the flows can be treated using reverse osmosis.
The Port of Barcelona considered that a fixed installation was preferable to the option of transferring tanker transport ships (from Sagunt), which would have mortgaged mooring spaces and the port's activity.
Saline waste from desalination (brine) may not be dumped in the port area, something prohibited in the State Ports Law on the prevention and fight against pollution.
The forecast is that these discharges will be made about 700 meters outside the port space, according to ATL, which hopes to have authorization from the Catalan Water Agency. ATL says an environmental impact assessment would not be necessary.
The floating platform would measure a maximum of about 150 meters in length; and likewise, it is known that, although there is electrical power available to power the floating desalination plant (6MW), an electricity transformer substation will have to be built. The connection cable could be stuck to the spring; or if the floating platform is far from it, it should be placed under water.
Coxabengoa would be in charge of the desalination plant, whose spokespersons confirmed that they have maintained contacts with the Generalitat, although there is by no means a project. The company presents itself on its website as a specialist “in the design and construction of desalination plants, with more than 30 plants in Spain, Africa, Latin America, the United States, Asia and the Middle East.” However, the same sources admit that it has not previously developed the technology for a floating installation.
These new details complete the recent announcement by Minister Mascort, who explained that this infrastructure would be used in the event that the Barcelona region entered a grade II emergency, which was initially on the horizon in October.
The “purchase” of the floating desalination plant would be for five years under the premise that in this connection the two new planned fixed desalination plants (Tordera II in Blanes and Foix in Cubelles) will be available.
It would produce 40,000 cubic meters of water per day, the equivalent of 6% of water consumption in the Barcelona area; and its cost has been estimated at 100 million euros including its operation and the price of water production. The desalination plant will have a direct connection to the metropolitan water network, since it will take advantage of the existing connection, previously planned for the possible arrival of ships with water from Sagunt.
However, there are still many questions. The place of manufacture of the components has not been reported, although it is known that some of them would come from abroad. In fact, it is common for these membrane filters to be imported, which makes the entire installation subject to the risks inherent to dependence on external supplies.
On the other hand, the plans could be conditioned or altered by the approaches of the new Government that emerges from the polls. Meanwhile, the reservoirs in the Barcelona region have experienced a slight recovery, reaching 19% of their capacity.
