Simple, solar-powered water desalination

Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination by gpm on Friday February 07, 2020 @03:49PM (#22270765)

Say solar panels cost $2 per watt, 6 liters/hour is about 20 watts of power, is about 40 dollars of solar panels. Plus whatever the reverse osmosis equipment costs.

This system gets approximately 6 liters/hour/sq m... so it makes sense if we can manufacturer it for less than 40 dollars per square meter and space is cheap.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination by bufferoverflow on Saturday February 08, 2020 @05:09AM (#22275014)

> Say solar panels cost $2 per watt

Not for a large desalination project. You will pay close to the spot price. Which is 30-45 cents.

Your biggest cost will be labor anyway. And the osmosis membrane, which needs to be regularly replaced, unlike the panels.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination by AnimalMuppet on Friday February 07, 2020 @06:54PM (#22272465)

And, in places without usable water, space tends to be cheap.

[ Parent | on HN ]

Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination by WrtCdEvrydy on Friday February 07, 2020 @07:06PM (#22272546)

I wonder if there is a formula for how cheap a place is based on how easy it is to have usable water and usable crops.

I have had these feelings since I saw the Egypt map showing how much of it is just not usable.

[ Parent | on HN ]