Engineers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have developed a solar-powered desalination system that eliminates the need for expensive energy storage or supplemental power. The system adjusts to sunlight variations in real-time, maximizing the utility of solar energy to desalinate water efficiently. The new system can desalinate up to 5,000 liters of water daily using over 94% of the energy generated by solar panels. It was tested for six months on groundwater wells in New Mexico under varying weather conditions. Unlike traditional desalination methods, which struggle with the variability of solar energy, this system uses a model-based control strategy to continuously adjust its operation. This reduces the reliance on batteries, making it a low-cost and sustainable solution for clean water production. The system’s potential to support small communities without the need for supplemental power makes it an important breakthrough in clean water technology. The research was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Julia Burke Foundation, and other partners. MIT is planning to scale up the technology for larger applications in the future.
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