Objective Our Earth is drying-up. Water is an over-used vital resource worldwide and more than 1billion people still live in water-scarce regions and around 3,5 billion could experience water scarcity by 2025. Fortunately, 97% of all water contained on the Earth is in liquid phase & just few steps from the coast: Seawater. Within this scenario, global desalination capacity in 2015 reached 95 million m3 water per day, distributed among 18,700 plants worldwide. These incredible figures are translated into a global water desalination market already representing over €12 billion/year and CAGR of total cumulative contracted capacity over 9.5% per year. AQUA.abib S.L was founded in Barcelona (Spain) 2 years ago as a spin-off of BarcelonaTech after having completed the feasibility assessment of the invention. The introduction of SunAqua into the market will have a positive impact on: i) the economy of our customers, by allowing them to desalinate saline water at lower costs ii) the environment, and iii) AQUA.Abib’s economic growth. SunAqua18 consists of a pyramid-shaped structure with an octagonal base, measuring 18m in height (15m of column + 3m of human-beings), covering an area of 2.500m2. The structure is covered by an outer transparent plastic layer and an inner dark-coloured layer which is considered to efficiently harvest sunlight from sun. The system was validated by the end of 2013 with a SunAqua pilot-scale, which was running during 4 months. Moved by real market demand and several expressions of interest, we are committed to quickly moving towards our final commercial product, with overall dimensions assuring the best cost/efficiency ratio: SunAqua18. Thanks to the promising performance of the fully-operational prototype we estimate yearly revenues up to 19M€ by the end of the 5th year and cumulated benefits reaching 16.6€. These figures would allow us to assure a Payback period of our project lower than 3 years. Fields of science engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcontrol systemsengineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologiesdesalinationreverse osmosisengineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringsensorsengineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologiesdistillationagricultural sciencesanimal and dairy sciencedomestic animalsanimal husbandry Programme(s) H2020-EU.3.5. - SOCIETAL CHALLENGES - Climate action, Environment, Resource Efficiency and Raw Materials Main Programme H2020-EU.2.3.1. - Mainstreaming SME support, especially through a dedicated instrument Topic(s) SMEInst-11-2016-2017 - Boosting the potential of small businesses in the areas of climate action, environment, resource efficiency and raw materials Call for proposal H2020-SMEInst-2016-2017 See other projects for this call Sub call H2020-SMEINST-2-2016-2017 Funding Scheme SME-2 - SME instrument phase 2 Coordinator AQUA. ABIB WATER SOLUTIONS SOCIEDAD LIMITADA Net EU contribution € 1 324 352,75 Address Cmno mas de clara cocons 55 catllar 43764 Tarragona Spain See on map SME The organization defined itself as SME (small and medium-sized enterprise) at the time the Grant Agreement was signed. Yes Region Este Cataluña Tarragona Activity type Private for-profit entities (excluding Higher or Secondary Education Establishments) Links Contact the organisation Opens in new window Participation in EU R&I programmes Opens in new window HORIZON collaboration network Opens in new window Other funding € 567 579,75