Spain – The Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN) participates as a partner in the European project MUSICA: Multiple-use-of Space for Island Clean Autonomy for the construction of a multi-use pilot platform that will generate renewable energy and produce fresh water for small and low-populated islands.
In addition, this multi-use platform will provide support services for islands’ aquaculture and recharging station for electricity and water.
The MUSICA project, led by the University College Cork (UCC) in Ireland, will last five years, and will receive approximately 9 million euros spread among fifteen partners from seven countries of the European Union.
The overall aim of MUSICA is to accelerate the business plans for commercialisation of its Multi-use Platform (MUP), achieving a technology readiness level TRL7 (system prototype demonstration in operational environment).
The overall aim of MUSICA will be achieved by advancing the existing FP7 funded MUP concept developed by the University of the Aegean (UoAeg) and EcoWindWater (EWW), currently at TRL5, to TRL7.
The MUSICA solution will be pilot demonstrated on Innousses island, population 800 persons where it will provide up to 60% renewable energy supply, and 100% of desalinated freshwater requirements for the island.
The energy will be supplied through a combination of wind, PV and wave energy. Water desalination will be produced by renewable energies generated on the multi-use platform.
MUSICA concept focuses on small islands (up to 2.000 population), with difficulties in installing large-scale renewable energy and onshore desalination plants due to multiple barriers such as lack of space, public acceptance, visual impact, or the pressure of tourism. In addition, these islands have weak energy systems and are highly dependent on fossil fuels with no RES penetration. MUSICA will provide a cost-effective solution while gaining independence and autonomy for these small islands.
In addition to the installation of the prototype, the project will develop detailed business plans and commercial economic feasibility studies on various European islands, including Gran Canaria (Spain).
As part of the MUSICA project, PLOCAN will coordinate the testing, monitoring, operation and maintenance of the multi-use platform to be conducted on Innouses. In this sense, PLOCAN will leverage the knowledge acquired in the management of its offshore platform, applying it to the MUSICA project. In addition, PLOCAN will participate in the replicability plans and feasibility studies of the solution on Gran Canaria Island (Spain).
MUSICA
FUNDS: H2020-BG-2018-2020/H2020-BG-2019-1, grant agreement No. 862252
UE Contribution: 8.999.705 €
Web: https://musica-project.eu/
Source: Oceanic Platform of the Canary Islands (PLOCAN)
