Norway: World’s first subsea desalination plant set to launch in 2026

Norwegian startup Flocean plans to launch the world’s first commercial-scale subsea desalination plant in 2026 at Mongstad, Norway. By situating the facility 300–600 meters below the ocean surface, the technology leverages natural ocean pressure to drive reverse osmosis desalination, reducing energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions by 30-50% compared to traditional land-based plants. The initial plant, Flocean One, will produce 1,000 cubic meters of fresh water daily, with a modular design allowing rapid scaling up to 50,000 cubic meters per day, potentially serving around 37,500 people each. This subsea approach also lowers capital costs by 7-8 times per unit capacity, requires 95% less coastal land, and minimizes environmental impacts such as toxic brine discharge near sensitive habitats. Flocean’s innovation addresses the global freshwater crisis, where half the world’s population faces severe shortages and demand is expected to outpace supply by 40% by