Research Council of Norway Approves Arctic Water Preparedness Initiative
Off Grid Energy & Water AS will develop a modular water platform for safe drinking water production at temperatures as low as −30 °C.
Off Grid Energy & Water AS has received approval from the Research Council of Norway for its SkatteFUNN project, "Modular Water Platform for Secure Drinking Water Supply
The project has an approved project budget of approximately NOK 14 million for 2026 and 2027. The budget provides the framework for research and development focused on testing and documenting robust Plug & Play water plants for municipalities, emergency preparedness organisations, the Norwegian Armed Forces, and other operators of critical infrastructure.
The Research Council has placed the project in the category "Foreign and Security Policy, Civil Protection and Emergency Preparedness." This underlines the project's relevance to national security of supply and the protection of critical societal functions.
Local Water Production When Conventional Systems Fail
The platform will produce safe drinking water from seawater, brackish water, and freshwater:
Water intake → Pretreatment → Reverse osmosis → Remineralisation → Hygienic protection → Quality control → Distribution
The water treatment system is combined with flexible energy supply from the grid, solar and wind power, battery storage, and generator. The objective is to maintain local water production during power outages, extreme weather, technical failures, and other emergency situations.
The water treatment system is combined with flexible energy supply from the grid, solar and wind power, battery storage, and generator. The objective is to maintain local water production during power outages, extreme weather, technical failures, and other emergency situations.
Key technical targets include start-up in under six hours, operation at temperatures down to −30 °C, production capacity of up to 100 m³ of drinking water per day per module, and energy consumption as low as 2.2 kWh per m³ for seawater desalination.
Testing and documentation will be carried out with Norwegian and European specialist and technology partners. NIVA and Multiconsult will be important partners in the demonstration and documentation programme, with NIVA Solbergstrand in Drøbak serving as a central project site.
Expanding Operations in Troms
As part of the company's long-term strategy, parts of its operations are being relocated north to Troms. Off Grid Energy & Water AS will build capacity in sales, service, training, and Arctic water preparedness.
"The Research Council's approval is an important recognition of our development work. Safe drinking water is critical infrastructure. Our goal is to give municipalities and emergency preparedness organisations local production capacity when conventional water or energy supplies fail," says Reidar Vestby of Off Grid Energy & Water AS.
An emergency plan is not the same as sustained emergency capability. The solution is local.
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