Revolution in water management: Rostock is planning Germany's first desalination plant!

Revolution in water management: Rostock is planning Germany's first desalination plant!

What's happening in Rostock? An ambitious infrastructure project is being planned in the region that is intended to revolutionize water supply for industry and commerce. The construction of a seawater desalination plant could set the course for sustainable water use in northeastern Germany. The total cost of this ambitious project is more than one billion euros and the need for the project is underpinned by the current water supply shortages. Many industrial settlements fail due to a lack of water resources, which underlines the urgency of fundamentally redesigning the local infrastructure. The Northern Courier reports that a feasibility study confirmed that such a facility could be technically feasible and economically viable.

The need for process water plays an important role, not only for industries, but also for cooling a planned data center and for electrolysers to produce green hydrogen. The Rostock region has particular location advantages, as it impresses with the use of regional wind and solar power as well as the low salinity of the Baltic Sea. The planned plant could supply up to 100,000 cubic meters of industrial water daily, with possible expansion of the supply areas to include Brandenburg and Berlin. This would not only mean a pioneering role in German water management, but would also set the course for future industrial policy developments.

Future-proof water resources

The project is not a short-term undertaking. The mayor of Rostock, Eva-Maria Kröger, emphasizes that this is a long-term future project. However, implementation is expected in ten or more years, and the final location of the facility is currently unclear. Discussions about the establishment of a special-purpose association between the Hanseatic city of Rostock and the district are already underway in order to create the necessary political and financial framework conditions. Again daily news added, two weeks ago a delegation from Rostock with representatives of the Federal Ministry of Economics was sent to a desalination plant in Denmark in order to gain valuable experience on site.

But the issue of water scarcity is not only relevant locally. Globally, a significant proportion of the population already suffers from water stress, like this DW illuminated. Around two billion people do not have regular access to fresh drinking water, which not only leads to crop losses but also to political and social unrest. In Europe, water scarcity is expected to increase significantly due to rising temperatures and droughts.

The plans for Rostock set an example. Amid these global challenges, the new seawater desalination plant could take a pioneering role and help meet both domestic industrial needs and gain experience for future projects worldwide. Given the current water shortage, it is high time that solutions for sustainable water supply were found. In Rostock, this solution could be within reach.