Our foundation: acciona.org Initiatives we support Our strategy Sustainable Development Goals Climate emergency Social development Sustainability indices Sustainable Development Alliances Technology and innovation centres Open and collaborative innovation Digital hub Innovation projects Job offers Graduates and internships Diversity, equity and inclusion Safety, health and well-being Training Selection process Energy Transport Water Social Cities Real Estate Financial Integrated annual reports Annual accounts Results, reports & presentations Average period of payment to suppliers Ratings Share price Dividends Analyst opinions Investor calendar General Shareholders' Meeting Board of Directors and Committees Management team Share capital Annual Corporate Governance Report Director remuneration Governance rules and compliance Framework Agreement CNMV Communications Sustainable finance
Barcelona, Spain See on Google Maps
The aim of LIFE DREAMER is to make the reverse osmosis desalination process more sustainable, allowing the recovery of resources present in seawater.

To this end, it is foreseen to recover more water from the desalination process, reduce the energetic consumption, minimize the use of chemicals and reuse the concentrated streams. The project is being developed in a pilot plant installed in San Pedro del Pinatar desalination plant premises (Murcia, Spain).

The LIFE DREAMER project, co-financed by the LIFE programme (LIFE16 ENV/ES/000223), is coordinated by the water business of ACCIONA and counts with the participation of the companies AQUASTILL, a leading company in the field of membrane distillation, and WE&B, a consulting firm focused on the economic and social aspects of the water and environmental sectors.

The technological solution proposed by the LIFE DREAMER consortium consists of the integration of different technologies, including:

  • A pre-treatment based on a granular filtration system with phosphorus adsorption capacity.
  • A filtration-decantation system for the treatment of pre-treatment cleaning effluents with high solids loading
  • An advanced oxidation system treating reverse osmosis cleaning streams with organic loading
  • A brine treatment system, using nanofiltration and membrane distillation.

The demonstration pilot plant, designed and built in the first phase of the project in the facilities of the seawater desalination plant (IDAM) of San Pedro del Pinatar-II (Murcia, Spain), treats a seawater flow of up to 10m3/h with the same catchment water as the IDAM, which ensures the representativeness of the results, and facilitates their subsequent scaling and transfer.

RESULTS OF THE LIFE DREAMER PROJECT

The main results obtained after more than three years of development, demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed concept, as well as the associated environmental benefits. In particular, an increase in the overall conversion of the system of up to 35% over the conventional system, a 99% reduction in the volume of pre-treatment washing effluents, as well as the reduction of biological fouling in the osmosis membranes thanks to the advances introduced in the pre-treatment, have been obtained.

The project thus aligns the desalination process with the Circular Economy concept, considering seawater as a source of resources and contributing to the fulfillment of Sustainable Development Goal 6 "Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all", in line with ACCIONA's commitment to sustainability and care for the environment.
Discover all of our projects

"We're not just driving sustainable development and the fight against climate change, we're creating awareness to help you join the movement too. Click on the links to find out more about renewable energies, water treatment, green hydrogen or related topics."