Rancho Santana Solar Desalination Plant
About
Overview
Location
Popoyo, Tola, Nicaragua
Type
Solar-PV powered desalination
Capacity
150,000 GPD
Product quality
Potable
Distribution
Local
Technology type
Reverse osmosis
Land footprint:
1 acre
Output:
Solar energy and fresh water
Facilities
3
Project description
WaterLAB collaborated with Boreal Light to install a state-of-the-art, remotely monitored, reverse osmosis desalination system capable of processing over 100 gallons per minute of saline groundwater. The system is a hybrid energy supply and can run on both grid power and solar energy from the 800 KW PV plant. Rancho Santana is the #1 surfing resort in Nicaragua and is ranked as a top resort destination in all of Central America. “This solar desalination plant will provide vital drinking water for the resort and additional water for future development and expansion”, said Rancho Santana CEO Luke Maish.
How we reuse water
Groundwater wells located near the ocean often encounter saltwater intrusion as they pump more and more water. As a result, water that was once fresh can become salty and undrinkable over time and require treatment. Because desalination requires significant electricity to run high pressure pumps, solar energy is an ideal way to generate ‘off-grid’ energy that is both reliable and cost effective for desalination. This allows groundwater that would otherwise be unuseable to become a reliable source of additional water.