EUROPEAN DESALINATION SOCIETY

Their core work

The European Desalination Society is an industry association focused on desalination and water treatment technologies across Europe. They bring domain expertise in membrane-based separation processes, electrodialysis, and brine management to EU research consortia. Their practical value lies in connecting desalination plant operators, technology developers, and researchers — acting as a bridge between the water treatment industry and EU-funded innovation. They contribute sector knowledge, dissemination reach, and industry validation to projects spanning water reuse, mineral recovery from seawater, and advanced surface technologies.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

EDS started its H2020 participation (2016-2019) squarely in water treatment — electrodialysis, saline wastewater, algae-based purification, and oil industry water reuse. By 2020, their focus shifted toward higher-value topics: recovering raw materials from desalination brines (SEA4VALUE) and nano-enabled membrane surfaces for industrial manufacturing (NewSkin). This evolution shows a clear move from "how to treat water" toward "how to extract value from water treatment processes" — a more circular-economy and industrial-manufacturing orientation.

EDS is moving from conventional desalination toward circular economy applications — recovering critical raw materials from brines and advancing membrane manufacturing — making them relevant for mineral supply chain and advanced materials projects.

How they like to work

EDS participates exclusively as a consortium partner, never as coordinator — consistent with their role as an industry association providing domain expertise and network access rather than leading research. With 93 unique partners across 21 countries in just 5 projects, they operate in large consortia (averaging ~19 partners per project). This broad network makes them a useful connector: partnering with EDS gives access to the European desalination and water treatment community.

EDS has built connections with 93 distinct partners across 21 countries through only 5 projects, reflecting participation in large, pan-European consortia. Their network spans the full water-energy-materials value chain across Southern and Northern Europe alike.

What sets them apart

EDS is one of very few industry associations in H2020 that sits at the intersection of desalination, membrane technology, and critical raw materials recovery. Unlike university labs or technology SMEs, they offer sector-wide industry perspective and a membership network of desalination professionals. For consortium builders, EDS provides instant credibility and dissemination reach into the European water treatment and desalination sector.

Highlights from their portfolio

• SEA4VALUE
  Addresses EU critical raw materials dependency by recovering minerals from desalination brines — a strategic topic linking water treatment to supply chain security.
• REvivED water
  Largest funded project for EDS (EUR 275,000) targeting low-energy desalination through electrodialysis, directly aligned with their core mission.
• NewSkin
  Represents EDS's pivot into advanced manufacturing — nano-enabled surfaces and membranes via an Open Innovation Test Bed model.