The report covers the 5-year trajectory of this R&D platform in desalination since its inception, highlighting the milestones achieved during this period
The DESAL+ Living Lab Performance Report 2017-2022 collects the activity developed in these first 5 years of operation, materialized, for example, in the execution of 7 European projects and 8 R&D services, the creation of 14 new direct jobs among member entities, as well as the capture of more than 10.15 million euros as direct financing and 11.5 million euros indirectly.
The DESAL+ Living Lab Platform, coordinated by the Technological Institute of the Canary Islands (ITC), has the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), the University of La Laguna (ULL) and the Canary Islands Agency for Research, Innovation and Information Society (ACIISI) as members, as well as the Gran Canaria Economic Promotion Society (SPEGC), as an associated entity, and the participation and collaboration of more than 30 public and private entities and companies from the Canary Islands, Azores, Madeira, Mauritania, Cape Verde and Senegal.
Currently, 25 technicians and researchers participate in the platform who work on 9 priority R&D lines identified in the Strategic Plan for R&D&i in desalination 2018-2025. The work of this multidisciplinary team of experts has been materialized in 49 articles published in high-impact scientific journals since 2017.
Regarding the beneficiaries of the work carried out from DESAL+ Living Lab during this time, it can be highlighted that more than 1700 people have participated in the scientific-technical and training events held by its members.
The report also delves into what DESAL+ LIVING LAB offers to universities, research centers, manufacturers, desalination companies, operators and end users. Basically it consists of providing:
• Collaboration or participation in projects
• Experimental areas (testbed) with technical and logistical support
• Technical support and consulting
• Training activities
• Products on the market and operation data from desalination plants for research work
With all of the above, Living Lab members value these 5 years as very positive, being a clear example of a fundamental instrument for consolidating R&D in desalination in and from the Canary Islands, being a key agent of knowledge economy to increase sustainability and achieve circularity and adaptation to climate change in this strategic sector for insular and coastal environments.
The DESAL+ LIVING LAB Platform thanks the Interreg MAC Program 2021-2020 for the co-financing received through the DESAL+ Project (MAC/1.1a/094), from which this ambitious initiative began working in 2017 and Project E5DES (MAC2/1.1a/309) which has allowed to mature the created structure.
DESAL+ Living Lab is a public-private ecosystem open to research, demonstration and knowledge generation where tests, experimentation and good practices in desalination can be carried out, as well as water-energy nexus and renewable energy use with the aim of boosting and maturing Canarias’ research potential, generating specialized employment and providing technology products and/or services for/from Canarias to neighboring regions and other interested parties on an international scale.
Available here the DESAL+ Living Lab Performance Report 2017-2022.
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