Freshwater scarcity has long been a global challenge. For a long time, the process was extremely energy-intensive. The classic method — evaporation and condensation — required enormous amounts of energy, so much that in the 1960s it was even proposed to use nuclear reactors for it. The situation changed in the early 2000s with the arrival of reverse osmosis, which almost halved energy consumption and became the global standard.
Now engineers have found a way to make the process even more efficient. Norwegian Flocean, Dutch Waterise and American OceanWell place their installations at depths of 400 metres or more, where ocean pressure helps the water pass through the membrane. This can save up to 40% of energy compared with land-based plants.
The new approach not only lowers the cost of desalination, but also reduces its impact on nature: there is no need for large coastal structures or the large-scale pumping of water. In the context of population growth and climate change, this solution could become key to providing clean water to people in many parts of the world.
