China develops electricity-free seawater desalination technology

Chinese scientists have developed a new technology that can convert salty seawater into fresh drinking water without using electricity. What makes the breakthrough even more remarkable is that the cost of producing drinking water through this method is expected to be lower than buying bottled mineral water.

According to a report by the South China Morning Post, conventional seawater desalination requires a large amount of energy. As a result, such systems are mostly used in wealthier countries and often rely heavily on fossil fuels making them harmful to the environment.

However, researchers in China have developed a prototype device that can operate for up to one year without electricity. The system is powered entirely by sunlight eliminating the need for external energy sources.

Scientists from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Shenzhen University achieved this breakthrough by developing a new photothermal material. They combined nanoparticles into a three-dimensional structure allowing the material to use sunlight more efficiently for removing salt from seawater.

During laboratory tests, the material absorbed 90.2% of solar heat while reducing the energy required for desalination by 45.7%. In a small-scale field trial, the system was used to produce fresh water from seawater for agricultural purposes. The water was used to irrigate a 5-square-meter plot of farmland for several weeks.

Throughout the trial, no electricity was required—sunlight alone was sufficient to power the entire process.

The researchers said that the cost of producing fresh water using this system was lower than the cost of purchasing bottled drinking water. They added that as the technology is scaled up for larger applications, the cost savings are expected to increase even further.