OREEi | Solar-powered water desalination in the Philippines

In the Philippines, there are still 1,700 islands without reliable access to clean energy and clean water solutions. On the remote island of Malalison, the community still relies on rainwater catchments during the rainy season and purely on plastic bottles imported from the mainland during the dry season. Through a small-scale solar-powered water desalination plant, the water will be three times cheaper than imported drinking water. This solution will directly improve health and sanitation in the community while avoiding plastic waste from bottles and alleviating social tensions that may arise from the management of a scarce freshwater resource on the island.

OREEi’s pilot project on Malalison island is demonstrating how challenges could be overcome step-by-step, from providing access to renewable energy to developing productive use of renewable energy.

Over 3 years, the plant is expected to supply 6,000 m³ of drinking water and generate over USD 38,000 in income for the women entrepreneurs managing the distribution.