Topic: More/Passive Energy
Title: Super-efficient Solar Powered Desalination Plants
What: MIT and China-based researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University have come up with a solar-powered desalination system that is 385% efficient in converting solar power to energy.
Why/how: It uses multiple stages to desalinate the water with three sequential ‘stills’. At each stage, the heat released by the previous stage is harnessed in the next instead of being wasted.
More ...: Theoretically, the system’s efficiency can be increased to over 700% with added desalination stages and accumulated salt/brine is allowed to flow back into the ocean.
Methodology: Online research and use of a tumbled pyramid int the article.
Sources:
• https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlelanding/2020/ee/c9ee04122b#!divAbstract
• https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/miot-ssw020720.php
Word-count: 200-300
Qualification statement: This is awesome news for areas that need a constant supply of freshwater via low maintenance efficient solutions.
Time: 24 hours
Budget: 300TECH