Imagine a giant floating buoy that acts like a water factory in the middle of the ocean. It uses the natural movement of waves to power a filter that turns salty seawater into fresh drinking water. Because it sits far from the coast, it doesn't harm the beach or use any electricity from the grid.
Conventional desalination is expensive, consumes massive energy, and harms coastlines with brine discharge. It also requires significant land and long permitting times.
A full-scale prototype buoy called 'Gaia' that converts wave energy into freshwater via reverse osmosis.
If you are a city utility dealing with extreme water stress and high energy costs — this project developed autonomous buoys that provide freshwater via long-term contracts. This removes the need for up-front infrastructure investment or grid access.
If you are a coastal plant dealing with strict CO2 emission limits — this project developed a wave-powered system that reduces power consumption to zero. It allows for a resilient water supply without building onshore plants.
If you are a resort operator dealing with limited land for water plants — this project developed offshore units deployed 1–5 km from shore. This saves valuable land and avoids brine discharge near sensitive coastlines.
The company uses a service-based model with long-term freshwater supply contracts exceeding 15 years, where Ocean Oasis retains ownership and operational responsibility of the units.
The goal is to have 572 units operating by 2030, producing an annual total of 150 million m3 of freshwater.
Based on available project data, the company retains ownership of the buoys and provides water as a service rather than licensing the technology.
Each unit is engineered for a 25-year lifespan and designed for maintainability using standard offshore methods.
The units are deployed 1–5 km offshore and provide water to customers such as utilities or municipalities, removing the need for grid-based energy input.
The project is led by Ocean Oasis AS, a Norwegian SME, with a 100% industry ratio across 2 partners in Norway and Spain. This lean, industry-only structure indicates a strong focus on commercialization and rapid deployment rather than academic research.
Contact Ocean Oasis AS in Norway regarding freshwater supply contracts.
Contact us to find similar wave-energy water solutions for your region.
