A contract was signed between Águas do Algarve and the consortium made up of Aquapor, GS Inima and Luságua for the design, construction and operation of the Algarve desalination plant in Albufeira, worth 107 million euros. The signing ceremony was attended by the Prime Minister, Luís Montenegro, the Minister for the Environment, Maria Graça Carvalho, and the Deputy Minister for Territorial Cohesion, Manuel Castro Almeida, among many other personalities.
The project, scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, will use innovative technologies with the aim of reducing the infrastructure’s energy consumption and making it more environmentally sustainable. In this regard, the use of renewable energy sources will be favored, through the installation of a self-consumption plant equipped with photovoltaic panels that will occupy around 4.5 hectares. With these measures, the consortium aims to reduce operating costs and minimize environmental impacts, in line with the global objectives of combating climate change.
With a production capacity of 16 million m3 of drinking water in the first phase, the infrastructure is being designed to reach 24 million m3 per year. This project, which uses a reverse osmosis system, the most sustainable, advanced and widespread desalination technique, will guarantee a drinking water supply for thousands of inhabitants and its positive impact will be felt in agricultural activities, industry and tourism – key sectors for the local economy that depend directly on a stable water supply.
“This project will be an example of how technological innovation and environmental responsibility can go hand in hand, promoting sustainable growth and guaranteeing essential resources for future generations,” says António Cunha, CEO of the Aquapor Group.
“We are very pleased to be part of this strategic project that strengthens the Algarve region and, consequently, to be able to contribute to the fight against water scarcity,” says Luis de Lope Alonso, President of Saur Internacional, guaranteeing that” in this project we are committed to the development and implementation of a set of innovative solutions that guarantee the optimization of the use of energy and environmental resources.”
“With more than six decades of proven international experience in the field of desalination, we are very proud to be involved in this project and fully committed to providing sustainable and efficient water solutions that guarantee a safe and reliable supply of drinking water to almost one hundred thousand people,” said Marta Verde, CEO of GS Inima.
The commitment to implementing these innovative and environmentally sustainable technological solutions reflects the consortium’s commitment to the ecological transition and water efficiency.
