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Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination (2020) by ComodoHacker on Friday July 02, 2021 @05:37AM (#27709557)
It's an example of a good old scientifically flavored clickbait.

The energy efficiency of anything cannot exceed 100% (until I missed something groundbreaking in physics).

Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination (2020) by hans_castorp on Friday July 02, 2021 @10:21AM (#27711875)
How can it be "click bait" if neither the title nor the headline contains that number? You have to read at least the first three paragraphs of the article to stumble about that number. The focus of the article is on the inexpensive design, not on its efficiency
Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination (2020) by crackercrews on Friday July 02, 2021 @12:59PM (#27714006)
The HN title has been changed. It used to refer to the 385 percent claim. Probably GP thought this was from the title.
Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination (2020) by trainsplanes on Friday July 02, 2021 @05:43AM (#27709587)
It very much can exceed 100% and it’s not a measure invented for click bait purposes.

Look up heat pumps. You can make things hotter by moving heat than you could by directly heating it by burning fuel.

Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination (2020) by MrsPeaches on Friday July 02, 2021 @05:48AM (#27709615)
As another comment pointed out, it’s usually called the Coefficient of Performance in this case.

Which is to say this is click bait, because saying it has a COP of 3.85 isn’t anywhere near as sexy, whilst being technically more accurate.

Re:Simple, solar-powered water desalination (2020) by stephen_g on Friday July 02, 2021 @08:02AM (#27710357)
The ‘more than 100%’ is only in comparison to a less efficient process. A heat pump itself is operating below 100% efficiency - it’s just kind of “cheating” by using an external source of external energy as one of its inputs in addition to the electricity running it.