Can desalination and clean energy be combined to help alleviate global water scarcity?

Researchers predict solar technology may be the dominant form of energy for desalination by 2050. For more information on this evolving approach to seawater purification, visitbit.ly/1rq2mEE

Many thanks!

Russell Sticklor

Monterrey, Mexico

4 Answers

1. very interesting article. tks!

2. In answer to your question I believe that the Ocean itself can provide the energy required for desalination. The Wave energy conversion system I have designed can use a fortunate byproduct from electricity generation to greatly increase the performance of fresh water production from a large solar still. Other ocean energy systems can also be used produce freshwater as a byproduct such as OTEC Ocean thermal energy conversion. These systems can collect freshwater from.condensation and do not require membranes. The freshwater produced can also be decontaminated with Ultra violet lighting and Ozone injection minimizing the chemicals required for safe drinking water. In Australia the CETO system pumps pressurized seawater to a membrane desalination plant as well as generating electricity. As much as 60% of the cost of desalinated freshwater comes from the energy required for pumping the water through the system. If the waste stream outlets are properly sited in the ocean the concentrated brine can be dispersed with minimal environmental impact.

3. Whatever research says i feel this is not cost efficient and energy is going to be consumed as hell. So better we conserve water first. Desalination is not even feasible at small community level and then think about water utility structures developing country has. How they are going to supply desalinated water to small and rural communities?

4. Any drinkable water provision of habitat will generate waste waters automatically. These waste waters contain pollution that the sytèmes of treatment send in the environment fault of being able to eliminate them correctly. Micro pollutant chemical will not finish being found in water saltworks and will return automatically in drinking water of the habitat. The concentration of these micro pollutant chemical will reach a threshold of dangerousness for pubic health which will be abreveront some. the problems of drinking water are intimvement related to the problems of the cleansing of waste waters its main source of pollution. This problem should already be solved. Tout approvisionnement en Eau potable d'habitat va générer automatiquement des eaux usées.Ces eaux usées contiennent des pollutions que les sytèmes de traitement envoient dans l'environnement faute de pouvoir les éliminer correctement. Des micros polluant chimiques finiront pas se retrouver dans l'eau saline et reviendront automatiquement dans l'eau potable de l'habitat. La concentration de ces micros polluant chimiques atteindra un seuil de dangérosité pour la santé des populations qui s'en abreveront. la problématique de l'eau potable est intimvement liée à la problématique de l'assainissement des eaux usées sa principale source de pollution. Il faut déjà régler ce problème .