Less Energy Use at Four Desalination Plants in the Balearic Islands

Modernisation works at plants in Alcúdia, Andratx, Ciutadella and Santa Eulària will reduce emissions

What does it consist of?

Improvements to energy efficiency at four desalination plants in the Balearic Islands aim to reduce electricity use in the production of drinking water. The project will see energy recovery systems installed in Alcúdia, Andratx, Santa Eulària des Riu and Ciutadella, with an estimated saving of 5,571 MWh per year.

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Data

PROJECT TITLE IN THE CALL
Improved energy efficiency in the desalination plants of Alcúdia, Andratx, Santa Eulària des Riu and Ciutadella
LOCATION
Mallorca, Minorca, Ibiza
Entity submitting the PROJECT
Conselleria de la Mar i del Cicle de l'aigua
Entity that executes the project
Agència Balear de l'Aigua i la Qualitat Ambiental (ABAQUA)
Project code
ITSE2023-105
Total project amount
11.480.400 €
ITS granted amount
11.480.400 €
Executed amount
1.108.130 €
Call year
2023E
Execution status
In execution
Purpose
Environment
Budget execution
Executed: 9.65%
Last data request
08.04.2026

The project

Desalination is essential to water supply in the Balearic Islands, especially in areas where conventional resources are more limited. However, ensuring this supply comes with high energy demands, affecting both public expenditure and the system’s environmental footprint. In times of climate crisis, the modernisation of this infrastructure has become a priority.

The project covers four desalination plants in the archipelago: Alcúdia and Andratx, in Mallorca; Santa Eulària des Riu, in Ibiza; and Ciutadella, in Menorca. The works involve adding Isobaric Energy Recovery Devices (ERD) in the high-pressure pumps, a technology that makes it possible to harness some of the energy from the process itself and thus reduce consumption per cubic metre of desalinated water.

Saving energy isn’t the only objective of the improvement. More streamlined production lines are also foreseen, with reduced loss of drinking water during the process and more efficient piping and pumping facilities. According to project estimates, annual emission reductions will amount to 1,515 tonnes of CO2, while increasing the effective production capacity at all four plants.

From an economic point of view, the project is considered to be a medium-term investment, with an estimated return of eight to ten years, depending on the facility. Beyond numbers, the project reinforces an underlying idea: to make the islands’ water security compatible with wiser energy use management and more in line with the archipelago’s environmental targets.