The Government of the Canary Islands has declared the DESALIFE project a strategic initiative for the region, recognizing it as a “highly innovative and sustainable project, with strong strategic relevance and proven technical feasibility.”

According to Ocean Oasis, this recognition marks a milestone for the project, as it transitions from technology validation to industrial deployment. It will also lead to the launch of Spain’s first offshore desalination plant powered entirely by wave energy, enabling zero-emission, off-grid freshwater production at a commercial scale.

“This is more than a project milestone — it is proof that deep-tech innovation and regional collaboration can deliver real climate infrastructure,” Ocean Oasis said in a social media post.

Led by Ocean Oasis, the DesaLIFE (short for Desalination for Environmental Sustainability and LIFE) consortium includes Instituto Tecnologico de Canarias, Plataforma Oceanica de Canarias (PLOCAN), Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, elittoral, and the Water Council of Gran Canaria. The project is co-funded by the EU LIFE Programme (CINEA – European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency) under the Circular Economy and Quality of Life sub-programme.

Ocean Oasis noted that as global water scarcity grows, this designation reinforces the project’s momentum and highlights a concrete example of high-impact climate infrastructure.

The DESALIFE project highlights the potential of wave-powered desalination as a sustainable and affordable solution for securing the island’s freshwater supply, PLOCAN noted. The floating technology is said to use a reverse osmosis process powered entirely by wave energy, eliminating reliance on grid electricity and avoiding CO2 emissions. 

In January, PLOCAN held the launch meeting of the European DESALIFE project. The project, led by Ocean Oasis Canarias, aims to validate a seawater desalination technology powered by wave energy that will be demonstrated in northern Gran Canaria.