The European project Sol2H2O, funded by the Horizon Europe programme, has installed in Évora a pioneering experimental pilot that combines desalination and brine valorisation technologies, strengthening national research in this field through collaboration with leading European institutions and integrating into a scientific and technological capacity-building strategy.

The pilot infrastructure, located at INIESC – the National Research Infrastructure in Concentrated Solar Energy at the University of Évora, was designed to demonstrate sustainable solutions for water production and the valorisation of alternative water resources, bringing scientific research closer to the real needs of society. The implemented system allows testing and operating different water-production technologies from seawater, such as reverse osmosis, for the treatment of concentrated brines, membrane distillation, and selective salt recovery using a chemical precipitation reactor.

The integration of these processes makes it possible to advance towards the concept of Zero Liquid Discharge (ZLD), which maximises water recovery and transforms high-salinity effluents into new resources. The facility is equipped with sensors and data-collection systems that allow the simulation of different operating scenarios, optimising performance and efficiency.

Évora was chosen to host this infrastructure due to the presence of SOL4R – Applied Research in Solar Energy for the Energy Transition, a research unit dedicated to developing solar-energy solutions for the energy transition, in which the Water-Energy Nexus is a strategic area. The region’s high solar radiation and semi-arid climate make it an ideal location for developing solutions applicable to real-world contexts of water scarcity and solar-resource availability.

The new pilot brings direct benefits to Évora and SOL4R by strengthening scientific and technical capacity in crucial areas such as water and energy, attracting national and international collaborations, training students and researchers in innovative technologies, and promoting activities with the community and with companies.

Sol2H2O aims to demonstrate that it is possible to recover water and value-added salts from brines, following the ZLD concept, and to develop viable solutions for wastewater treatment, always using solar energy. In this context, Évora has already received mobility teams from the University of Palermo, the Technological Institute of the Canary Islands, and the Almería Solar Platform (part of CIEMAT), who actively collaborated in different phases of commissioning and equipment testing.

This represents an important step toward transforming research into practical solutions, contributing to sustainable water-resource management and reinforcing circular-economy principles, bringing science closer to the concrete needs of society.

In addition to this pilot, the project also includes the development of a solar photocatalyst designed to enhance photocatalysis processes in the degradation of pollutants in wastewater. This work aims to increase the efficiency and durability of photocatalytic materials by exploring the direct use of solar radiation as a clean energy source. The development of this component represents a significant advancement in the search for sustainable water-treatment solutions, complementing the integrated approach of the Sol2H2O project.