Chartres, September 19, 2024 – OSMOSUN®, a leading provider of solar-powered seawater and brackish water desalination solutions, announces the commissioning of 6 new OSMOSUN 0.2 SW units in the Republic of Vanuatu. Nearly 5,000 inhabitants on 4 islands will now have secured, sustainable access to fresh, potable, low-carbon water. 

Located in the heart of the South Pacific, the Republic of Vanuatu is an archipelago-state of 83 islands, most of which are volcanic in origin. Water insecurity is exacerbated by rainfall patterns that have become unpredictable because of climate change. The freshwater resources traditionally used – rainwater harvesting and wells – can no longer guarantee year-round access to drinking water. Desalination units have already been installed in the past, but these, operating via fossil-fuel powered generators, are proving unsatisfactory from an environmental point of view and very energy-intensive, with prohibitive costs for the community. 

While OSMOSUN solutions were presented to address water stress challenges in the Pacific communities, the Department of Water Resources of Vanuatu was impressed by the flexibility of implementation, autonomy and particularly low environmental impact of Osmosun reverse osmosis desalination solutions. 

Four OSMOSUN 0.2 SW units connected to solar panels were installed on 4 islands selected by the Department of Water Resources of Vanuatu for the urgency of the situation: Wala, Rano, Vao and Atchin. The units now supply water kiosks and produce 1.5m3/day. Two other mobile units have also been made available for rapid deployment in the event of temporary needs or emergencies. The community’s technical services, assisted by Vanuatu’s national water agency, both trained by OSMOSUN at the time of commissioning, will manage and maintain the units. Recurrent visits by OSMOSUN experts are planned to provide long-term support, facilitating local ownership of the equipment. 

“The Vanuatu archipelago has a large number of isolated communities with a shortage of fresh water and fragile electricity grids, which makes the installation of desalination units all the more complex,” explains Martin Bourillet, Developer at OSMOSUN. “With our low-carbon, battery-free solutions we tick all the boxes: we can provide fresh, pure water, without impacting the existing network and with no fossil fuel consumption.” 

This installation marks a successful first step demonstrating the relevance of OSMOSUN solutions in complex and isolated areas. We have already begun the process of scaling up in the Vanuatu archipelago, and more widely in the remote islands of the South Pacific. 

“The needs are immense and are now well known to our teams thanks to our Kori Odyssey operation last year,” concludes Quentin Ragetly, CEO of OSMOSUN. “We’re delighted to be reaping the rewards of the investments we’ve made, and to be bringing much-needed fresh water to local populations.”