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Desalination system could produce freshwater that is cheaper than tap water (news.mit.edu)

submitted 1 year ago by Gsus4@feddit.nl to c/technology@lemmy.world

161 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Engineers at MIT and in China are aiming to turn seawater into drinking water with a completely passive device that is inspired by the ocean, and powered by the sun.

In a paper appearing today in the journal Joule, the team outlines the design for a new solar desalination system that takes in saltwater and heats it with natural sunlight.

The researchers estimate that if the system is scaled up to the size of a small suitcase, it could produce about 4 to 6 liters of drinking water per hour and last several years before requiring replacement parts. At this scale and performance, the system could produce drinking water at a rate and price that is cheaper than tap water.

https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(23)00360-4

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[–] batmangrundies@lemmy.world 28 points 1 year ago (2 children)

We're past the point where we can stop it wholesale.

We already have aquifers barely holding on, we've lost major sources of fresh water already.

I'm all for climate action, but we also need to starting developing technologies for living in the bed we've made.

Folks keep talking about climate change like it's some future event. You are living through it right now.

[–] orrk@lemmy.world 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

you know how we can stop the massive drain on the aquifers? by not allowing everyone to tap it as much as they want, farmers will have to deal with 30% fewer yields on corn, Nestle 'n Co. will lose their money printer, but that's all we would need to save the American aquifers, to STOP FARMING INT THE DESERT

[–] Edgelord_Of_Tomorrow@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (1 children)

That 30% less yields means 30% more cost for the consumer, not Nestle.

[–] orrk@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

well i brought up nestle as in them just bottling free water, but a large amount of that added agriculture is used to produce corn that is inedible for human consumption and only used as animal feed, basis for fertilizer, or HFCS.

and maybe we need to put a cap on the amount of profit a company like Nestle can extract.

[–] ky56@aussie.zone 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Pretty sure a profit cap goes against the entire concept of the stock market. It would probably collapse it.

Cool. Where do I sign up?

[–] orrk@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

go to wherever fox is screaming Nazi, specifically Fox News

[–] assassin_aragorn@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago

Yeah this is a very forward facing technology that may end up becoming a lifesaver.