Science
Chinese tech makes desalinating seawater cheaper than producing bottled water
Key Points
Desalination has always been an energy-hungry way of turning saltwater into freshwater, making it largely the preserve of wealthy countries with abundant fossil fuel reserves. Yet, an outdoor demonstration prototype in China has managed to exhibit year-long stability with zero utility energy costs, thanks to a new type of photothermal material. The researchers developed an innovative method to weave nanoparticles into a three-dimensional photothermal evaporation material, significantly...
Desalination has always been an energy-hungry way of turning saltwater into freshwater, making it largely the preserve of wealthy countries with abundant fossil fuel reserves.
Yet, an outdoor demonstration prototype in China has managed to exhibit year-long stability with zero utility energy costs, thanks to a new type of photothermal material.
The researchers developed an innovative method to weave nanoparticles into a three-dimensional photothermal evaporation material, significantly boosting...