Hello there, solar enthusiasts! Today, I’m going to delve deep into a fascinating new development in the solar industry that could revolutionize the way we approach water desalination – particularly in those regions of the world where fresh water is a scarce commodity. It’s an exciting breakthrough spearheaded by an international team of scientists led by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). They’ve designed a novel, low-cost photovoltaic-powered (PV-powered) brackish water desalination system that utilizes time-variant electrodialysis reversal (EDR).
Traditional EDR has a major caveat when it comes to solar power; given the intermittent nature of sunlight, a perfect harmony between EDR, which needs a constant supply of power, and solar energy is difficult to strike. Solar companies would typically need to introduce batteries or oversized solar systems to ensure smooth functioning – and this is exactly where the genius of timing-variant EDR shines. Thanks to this innovative approach, the solar-based desalination system sidesteps these barriers, efficiently aligning the EDR system’s power consumption with available solar power and maximizing water production under varying solar conditions. From my personal perspective, it’s a powerful solution to the energy conundrums of traditional EDR, inherently enhancing the usability of solar panels for your home if water desalination is necessary.
In the prototype of this solar array for the home, what really grabbed my attention was the significantly lower battery capacity required by this efficient system, a staggering 92% reduction! Furthermore, it managed to use a whopping 77% of available solar energy, compared to the 40% that a conventional system would. Factor these improvements into the mix, and the levelized cost of water (LCOW) drops by an impressive 22%. This is not only a win for your household budget but a watershed moment for solar companies striving for more sustainable and cost-effective solutions.
Lab tests demonstrated the practical viability of this technology, and they also conducted a case study in Chelluru, India. After various simulations and comparisons were made, the proposed system came out on top, out-performing the conventional PV-EDR, state-of-the-art constant PV-EDR, and a commercial on-grid reverse osmosis (RO) desalination system.
The combination of cost-effectiveness and scalability make this new system an exciting prospect for solar companies eager to tap into the vast potential of solar-powered desalination. With this development, a solar array for home use not only helps you save on energy costs but could be a potential solution for those living in water-scarce regions. This next step presents a significant opportunity for solar companies and individuals to address critical global challenges related to water scarcity.
As with any cutting-edge technology, it opens a gateway to more innovative applications and more wide-reaching effective solutions, especially relevant to the solar sector. It’s a reminder that there’s always more that solar can do. Stay tuned for more interesting perspectives and exciting news on the solar front!
Original Articlehttps://pv-magazine-usa.com/2024/05/01/novel-pv-driven-desalination-tech-achieves-lower-levelized-cost-of-water/
