Hello, We have the honor today to host two members of the research team
in charge of designing and building a pilot prototype device for Saltwater Desalination
Nikitas Nikitakos is professor at the University of the Aegean
and Theodoros Lilas, electronic mechanician, also a professor at University of the Aegean.
I would like to thank you for being here and ask you about this prototype device for Saltwater Desalination called "Hydriada"
This device has drawn attention everywhere else in the world, yet in Greece is not known as should for what it does.
So, what exactly is "Hydriada" and how does it work?
Hydriada is a the result of e research program funded by European Regional Development Fund (ERDF)
It's a pontoon desalination platform which uses solar and wind energy
to convert seawater into drinkable water by a desalination plant using reverse osmosis.
As mentioned before, it was funded by ERDF and it is situated in Irakleia Island (Cyclades)
It works with wind and solar energy to produce its minimum energy requirements,
and produces the everyday drinkable water requirements of the Iraklea island.
It was a small scale prototype platform and it is mostly used for experimental and improvement reasons.
We intend to build a bigger desalination unit and produce 1000 tons of water per day
instead of 70 tons of water per day that the current unit produces.
We have positive feedback and grater expectations, but unfortunately
due to the latest events and the financial and economic crisis
we are experiencing delays in bureaucracy and procedural matters.
We hope to overcome these problems soon
and hopefully attract more interest from abroad.
Could you give us more information on this matter?
There has been interest from abroad from the presentation in European and global scale for this archetype unit.
Thank you for your invitation. This unit has attracted European and global interest.
It has been awarded as an innovation for regional european development.
It has been presented in many developed countries, such as Norway.
In events for pattern that could attract investment interest.
It has been presented in the USA in competitions for for business patterns and reached top classification.
This means that there are big chances to be developed abroad.
There has also been interest from countries having scarce in drinking water. Such as in North Africa and the Middle East,
where there have been presentation in collaboration with the ministry of foreign affairs.
So, these countries have shown great interest through their ministers for investment in this field.
We expect to make presentations and meetings in order to promote this technology abroad.
Which do you believe are there the main advantages of this technology in comparison
to other technologies used in Greece to fed our islands with water?
Meaning desalination process and carrying water in lorry tracks.
There are currently 3 feeding methods of clean water to these islands.
First: Carrying water with boats from other islands.
Meaning, when an islands is in need of clean water we carry it with boats to and from the islands,
and polluting the environments by using this method and burning fuels.
Second: The old fashioned desalination methods that have been done using electric power on the islands.
We should note that Desalination is a process requiring great amount of energy
and the islands have limited power and energy availability
So by using the existing energy supply on the island for desalination purposses
we may probably cause energy shortage on that island.
Energy shortage is the reasons for energy black outs during the summer in those islands.
There are also the method for producing energy by using fuels,
but this way we cause environmental pollution.
Third method is the one we use.
This is an autonomous unit which uses renewable energy sources
meaning that it doesn't produces any carbon dioxide and doesn't pollute the environment.
This way it produces its necessary energy for the desalination process.
In short, with this method we solve energy and water shortage problems for these islands.
Another great advantage is that it can be transferred from one place to another.
So, in case somewhere is needed, we can transfer it with a boat in any area.
There are also other significant advantages for the environment.
It's anchored somewhere with big depth, so in these depths there is no problem of making the water salter
by returning extra salty water from the desalination process.
It's a process like water evaporation and does not cause any environmental problems.
We do not use any chemical in this process.
So, by solving these problem we have a natural way of producing drinkable water,
which does not affect the environment.
Unlike other method narrow places which can cause many problems in that ecosystem.
We can say that the cost is low since it use free and renewable energy sources
Since it uses solar and wind produced energy and does not pollute the environment.
Which are the economic profits that could result from using this method?
First of all, in greek islands, electricity is subsidized by the government as it is very expensive for these areas.
With the new European Community legislation (ETS) electicity will get even more expensive.
So, the desalination method using electricity power will get even more expensive.
With our desalination method the only cost is the cost for building the unit, as it produces its own energy,
as solar and wind energy is for free.
And the only thing necessary is a small maintenance every 2 years
as well as a general maintenance every 10 years.
This unit life expectancy is up to 30 years.
As a result, this method is a sustainable investment and it gets even more with bigger units.
Which is what we are trying to do nowadays.
My next question is about the possibility to extend the dimensions and the size of this unit
in order to produce bigger quantities for bigger islands.
I can give you an example for what we are currently trying to do.
We would like to produce 1000m3 drinking water per day.
To create such a system we need either one unit on land
or one, like our autonomous unit, in the sea.
On the one hand, for the one on land there would be a cost of 1 million Euro to build it.
On the other hand, if we build a complete autonomous desalination unit which can produce its own energy
the cost be about 4,5 million.
For the maintenance the price would be the same for both units.
But for the island unit the power cost for would be 8 million euro for 10 years
while the cost for our autonomous unit will be 0!
So, instead of paying millions for paying fuels on producing energy,
we could eliminate it and pay a portion of that money to build units like the one we do
and give work to greek shipping yards and companies for building the necessary units.
Overall, instead of using fuels, we could use a far less expensive and ecological method.
Did you had ny obstructions when building this unit?
Let's say with bureaucracy etc...
The main obstacle was the nature of this unit itself, as it could not be set legally.
Because, in order to transfer the unit we should make papers for this kind of device.
That could not be covered by the existing maritime law.
We had some help from our colleague and we could justify it as pontoon.
Another problem was that we had to have a classification surveyor and to insure it.
And generally follow a procedure for something unprecedented
for the greek legislation and bureaucracy.
We successfully went through this procedure and created a sort of case law for this invention
and we estimate that this procedure will be much easier on our next unit of this kind.
Do you think that the current financial crisis and the situation we lately face in Greece
will affect negatively any future plans on extending and using these units
and the ones concerning green development.
Quite the opposite.
We have a high cost on using current units
so, by proposing and promoting innovative solutions we both offer jobs to people
and diminish the total cost of production.
Therefore, it's the current crisis that pushes us walk towards this direction.
I would like to add something.
The financial crisis is a result of globalization.
We and our entire team, through this experiment, support that we must turn to local communities
and try a new economic pattern which will be based on its own natural resources.
Hydriada is such an example. It sufficiently produces its own energy, water and anything needed.
"Ai Stratis" is another example in greater scale on an island.
In the USA is called "a Resource Based Economy".
An economy based on its own resources and supplies.
This is what we beliene in and promote as a part of a Green growth
Would you like to give us more details on the experiment of "Ai Stratis"?
This experiment is about a small Island of 300 residents, which is away from the greek power network.
We are trying to make 3 big interventions.
1st: To make it power autonomous.
That is to use photovoltaic and wind turbines and use 100% renewable power sources.
This is our first target.
2nd: To use the power produced for other purposes like geothermal and producing hydrogen
in order to use electric cars and completely remove fuel using on the Island.
To make greenhouse with photovoltaics and to process waste and water
in order to produce new plants growing greenhouses.
And the most important, build a power academy, in order to change the thinking of people
starting from the youngest
and shape and build the basis for a new economy and thinking of green growth.
What was the reaction of the locals during this experiment?
In Iraklea and Ai Stratis concerning the targets you've set.
The participation of the local community is very important.
Before we even start our projects we visited Islands and contacted the local boards
We presented our projects and they completely accepted them.
So before we started we had informed the people there and they accepted our projects.
We think that for Ai Stratis to be a green Island, it is very important to participate the residents in this direction.
The project will not be independent from the people but the will be aware of its boundaries and adjust their behavior
so that to best co-exist in an 100% autonomous environment.
And to be able to continuously work on renewable energy.
In Iraklea Island the project was accepted by the residents at first.
And then when some problems came up
all the residents got together and even gathered signs to back up
and wanted the project to also go on on other Islands as well.
Therefor, the residents supported us on the problems we faced.
You mentioned the creation of a power academy.
Should this be something concerning the entire Greece?
This is something mentioned in many local communities.
First of all, we estimate that the approaching of the renewable energy is wrong.
Renewable energy resources cannot be designed in an office and then setup.
The should start from talking with the residents and then they should go along together and establish them.
This is because often can come up many problems concerning the land and location.
This power academy should mostly concern young people and children
so that they start that human is not an financial figure
but, every time one takes an act on his financial life, they should consider mother nature.
Someone's activities should not oppose nature and the environment which cannot be recycled.
It is crucial to understand this, otherwise our planet will face problems in the future.
And this education starts from young children.
We think that the power academy on Ai Stratis should be the center
and on the other Islands should be connection to the academy and pass on the message that
when doing anything we should think of the environment and that it should be maintained and improved.
Nowadays though in Greece and the entire planet we see that economy profits from the environment
and the environment is suffocating, no matter what the intentions are.
Profit comes first everywhere.
These are the new economic movements
and they believe that the only thing that flows is money.
In reality, the environment is above all things and the corporate social responsibility.
In everything that we do we should think that everything should be on a stability ball.
We should not always take from the environment for financial purposes
but, always keep these variables in stability.
There is now a global movement of reconsideration on all modern financial theories.
I would like to inform you that in about a month a will publish a book which is a translation
and it is about true green economy, which I would gladly like to present it to you.
I would like to thank you both.
Thank you.