California has taken a major step toward sustainable water solutions by approving a lease for a wave-powered desalination pilot project off the coast of Fort Bragg. The State Lands Commission granted Canadian company Oneka Technologies the authorization needed to move forward with its innovative system, which uses wave energy to convert seawater into freshwater—without relying on grid electricity or producing greenhouse gas emissions
The pilot, supported by the California Department of Water Resources, is designed to produce about 13,200 gallons of freshwater per day for a year. This approach is expected to save around 50 tons of CO₂ emissions annually compared to traditional diesel-powered desalination plants. The project is the first of its kind in California and aims to inform future, larger-scale deployments
Oneka’s technology has already passed rigorous environmental reviews and public consultations, marking the first seawater desalination pilot to complete California’s updated environmental regulations since 2015. The next steps include further regulatory reviews by federal and state agencies.
This milestone highlights California’s commitment to innovative, eco-friendly water solutions and could pave the way for broader adoption of wave-powered desalination both in the state and globally
(Source: Offshore Energy)