Water consumption
Currently, purification and recirculation of freshwater are developing rapidly
Fresh water of good quality is an important resource for all our production units.
At Royal Greenland's production units, fresh water may originate from surface water, groundwater or sea water. Fresh water, whatever the origin, is delivered from local utility companies.
At some geographical locations in Greenland, fresh water is in short supply, and fresh water is produced via a reverse osmosis (RO) system. Since this is a very expensive and energy-intensive method, the possibility of using purified seawater is being investigated.
Risks and opportunities
The greatest risk for Royal Greenland is a lack of fresh water for production. On reviewing the water resources in the 37 towns and settlements in Greenland where Royal Greenland has facilities, the supplier Nukissiorfiit (Greenland’s Energy Supply) found that 21 locations had ample water supplies, and eight locations had reasonable water supplies, while another eight locations had poor water supplies.
We can see opportunities in cleaning seawater up to microbiological drinking water quality. Our tests have yielded good results, but unfortunately no permits have as yet been granted for its use, other than for whole fish.
Goals and results 2023
Goals:
- Maintain a stable water supply
Results:
- Water supplies have been challanged in some communities in northern Greenland
Ambitions for 2030
Ambitions for 2030:
- A stable water resource of drinking water quality
- Substitute fresh water with seawater in towns and settlements with limited supplies of fresh water
