Friday, Dec. 20, 2024
Have engineers at MIT created an energy-efficient desalination system?
MIT engineers have created a solar-powered desalination system that produces clean drinking water without the need for battery storage or additional energy sources. This reduces high energy costs typically associated with desalination, a key barrier to widespread adoption of the technology.
The MIT system is designed to remove excess salt from brackish water—salty water found in underground reservoirs—rather than ocean water. Arizona’s aquifers have extensive brackish water reserves, possibly enough to meet the state’s annual demand up to 85 times over, according to recent data from the state’s Department of Water Resources.
State officials have explored a joint desalination project with Mexico in recent years, and have considered resuming operation of a little-used desalination plant in Yuma. But desalination comes with challenges beyond high energy costs, such as disposal of excess brine.
This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
- MIT News Solar-powered desalination system requires no extra batteries
- Nature Water Direct-drive photovoltaic electrodialysis via flow-commanded current control
- U.s. Geological Survey U.S. Geological Survey
- Arizona Department of Water Resources Arizona WaterFacts
- ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy The Future of Desalination in Arizona
- Montgomery & Associates Brackish groundwater: Arizona's next drinking water source?
- Central Arizona Project Yuma Desalting Plant
- Central Arizona Project Central Arizona Project Desalination
About fact briefs
Fact briefs are bite-sized, well-sourced explanations that offer clear "yes" or "no" answers to questions, confusions, and unsupported claims circulating online. They rely on publicly available data and documents, often from the original source. Fact briefs are written and published by Gigafact contributor publications.
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The Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting is the state’s only independent, nonpartisan and collaborative nonprofit newsroom dedicated to statewide, data-driven investigative reporting. AZCIR's mission is to hold powerful people and institutions accountable by exposing injustice and systemic inequities through investigative journalism.
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