Boreal Light Commissions 100% Solar-Powered Seawater Desalination Plant at Ras Emran Fishing Village, Aden
Built and installed by Boreal Light’s local Yemeni team, the off-grid system delivers 3,000 liters of safe drinking water per hour — despite renewed conflict in the region.
Boreal Light GmbH has commissioned a containerized solar seawater desalination system at Ras Emran fishing village, on the outskirts of Aden, Yemen. The system produces 3,000 liters of safe drinking water per hour and runs entirely on solar energy. It was delivered for project owner ZOA Yemen and installed by Boreal Light’s local technical team in Yemen.
Clean water from the Gulf of Aden, powered by the sun
The plant draws its feedwater from the warm, highly saline waters of the Gulf of Aden — among the most demanding conditions for desalination. It operates fully autonomously and runs on 100% solar energy, with no dependence on the electricity grid.
That independence is essential in Aden, where access to grid power is severely limited and unreliable. For the residents of Ras Emran, the system provides a steady local source of safe drinking water that does not depend on fuel deliveries or grid supply.
Delivered under extraordinary circumstances
The project was completed against a backdrop of deeply concerning news from Yemen and a renewed eruption of conflict. Political instability, security constraints, logistics disruptions and other force-majeure conditions tested the project repeatedly. Despite these challenges, the system was successfully completed and commissioned.
The project owner is ZOA Yemen. Boreal Light thanks ZOA for its professionalism, commitment and high-quality project management throughout implementation.
Local expertise as the foundation of resilience
The installation was carried out entirely by Boreal Light’s local team in Yemen. Its technicians have been trained on Boreal Light’s Winture® systems since 2019.
“Machines can be shipped across borders, but long-term resilience comes from people who have the knowledge and capability to install, operate, maintain and repair them locally,” said Hamed Beheshti, CEO and Co-Founder of Boreal Light GmbH. “This project shows exactly why building local technical capacity matters.”
Ready to serve more communities
The technical capacity Boreal Light has helped establish in Yemen is now ready to serve many more communities. As reliable access to water becomes more critical than ever, this local team can install and maintain further systems where they are needed most.
