en.Wedoany.com Reported - Danish wave energy developer Exowave has launched a modular seawater desalination system called ExoMare, which combines offshore wave energy converters with traditional reverse osmosis technology to provide zero-emission freshwater production solutions for coastal communities, islands, and industrial sites.
The ExoMare system is designed for small-scale seawater desalination scenarios producing 4 to 20 cubic meters of freshwater per day, a market segment often overlooked by traditional technologies. The system is entirely powered by wave energy, operates on a plug-and-play basis, requires no diesel generators or grid electricity during operation, and produces drinking water using mature reverse osmosis technology.
Freshwater scarcity continues to affect many regions worldwide, with climate change, population growth, and industrial demand intensifying pressure on water resources. Coastal communities, island residents, aquaculture operators, and remote industrial sites face greater challenges due to limited infrastructure and high costs of water transport or power generation. Large-scale desalination plants have provided important water sources, but small-scale units typically rely on diesel generators or expensive grid connections, increasing operational costs and greenhouse gas emissions.
Exowave states that its solution offers an alternative path for decentralized freshwater production by directly coupling renewable wave energy with desalination technology, eliminating reliance on fossil fuels. The ExoMare system integrates one or more offshore wave energy converters with onshore reverse osmosis units. Unlike most wave energy projects targeting utility-scale power generation, Exowave designs its technology for shallower nearshore waters approximately three meters deep, which, according to the company, reduces installation complexity, maintenance requirements, and infrastructure costs while maintaining high operational performance.
The modular design allows customers to add wave energy converters as demand grows to increase freshwater output. Potential users include municipalities, island communities, tourism facilities, aquaculture operations, remote industrial sites, and emergency water supply projects.
Exowave notes that when the system operates entirely on renewable wave energy, the levelized water cost is €1.50 per cubic meter. During normal operation, no fossil fuels are required, greenhouse gas emissions are zero, and there is no operational noise, reducing impacts on communities and the marine environment. The company claims its wave energy platform achieves a capacity factor of 90%, supporting stable year-round freshwater production. Manufacturing is completed within the European Union, utilizing European supply chains, and equipment is designed according to circular design principles to extend service life and simplify maintenance in harsh marine environments.
Decentralized desalination is gaining increasing attention as utilities and governments seek to enhance resilience against droughts, extreme weather, and aging infrastructure. Small-scale distributed systems can enable local freshwater production near points of demand, reducing reliance on vulnerable infrastructure networks and improving water security for remote coastal communities. In regions with stable wave resources and limited or costly electricity access, wave-powered desalination may prove particularly attractive.
Exowave CEO and co-founder Lars Wigant stated at the launch that ExoMare demonstrates that clean water and clean energy can be delivered as an integrated solution, making zero-emission desalination economically viable by combining mature reverse osmosis technology with a nearshore second-generation wave energy platform. This launch marks the latest milestone in Exowave's commercialization of wave energy technology.
