Flocean Produces First Drinkable Water from Commercial-Scale Subsea Desalination Plant

Industrial deployment in Norway demonstrates subsea desalination technology viable at scale—ending decades of research and development work.

Flocean has successfully reached “first water” and is now producing freshwater at full capacity from Flocean One, an industrial-scale subsea desalination system deployed at 500 metres depth off Norway’s west coast.

For decades, subsea desalination remained theoretical. Flocean One changes that as the first system operating at industrial scale. With 15+ projects in active development, including partnerships with Alver Municipality in Norway and WaterConnect for the Maldives, Flocean has demonstrated genuine market demand and proven the economic viability of subsea desalination. Municipalities and industrial operators can now commit to sustainable freshwater without environmental compromise, unlocking projects that were previously impossible.

For decades, subsea desalination was an idea that promised to change water infrastructure. Today, it’s producing drinkable water at industrial scale with secured partnerships in place. That’s a turning point for regions and industries facing chronic water scarcity. Reliable freshwater no longer requires choosing between coastal land use and environmental protection. We deliver both.

Alexander Fuglesang, Founder and CEO of Flocean

Resilience and Industrial Growth
Subsea desalination solves three critical infrastructure challenges.

First, it addresses the global freshwater crisis—demand will outstrip supply by 40% by 2030, and coastal and island regions face the most acute shortages with no conventional alternatives. Second, it provides genuine water supply resilience by operating independently of coastal vulnerabilities, permitting delays and energy constraints that can cripple conventional plants. Third, it enables industrial water supply and economic growth without competing for land or freshwater resources.

Flocean One demonstrates this model works at scale. The system harnesses natural ocean pressure at depth to power reverse osmosis, reducing energy consumption by 40-50% compared to conventional coastal plants. It produces up to 1 million litres of freshwater daily—supply for approximately 6,000 households—without coastal land conflicts, chemical pre-treatment or toxic brine discharge into sensitive shallow ecosystems. Flocean One’s successful operation in a developed economy with demanding infrastructure standards opens the path to deployment in water-stressed regions globally.

Commercial Expansion and Deployment
Flocean One’s successful operation accelerates deployment across the company’s project pipeline. With industrial-scale performance achieved, Flocean can advance partnerships in water-stressed coastal and island regions worldwide.

“First water is more than a technical milestone. It provides the operational proof point needed to advance projects from concept to development,” said Sivan Zamir, Xylem’s Chief Innovation & Products Officer. “As Flocean moves several commercial projects forward, they will see growing interest from regions that need new freshwater infrastructure but cannot accommodate conventional desalination. This achievement gives customers greater confidence in the potential of subsea desalination and represents an important step toward deployment at scale.”

About Flocean
Flocean delivers sustainable water supply at industrial scale using subsea desalination. The company’s technology typically operates at 400-700 metres depth, harnessing natural ocean pressure to reduce energy consumption while eliminating coastal environmental impacts. Flocean serves water-stressed coastal and island regions globally.

For more information, visit www.flocean.green.