Some 12,500 desalination plants currently supply 1% of the world’s drinking water. Although desalination technologies have been available for decades, the traditionally high costs associated with converting sea water to drinking water have prevented their more widespread adoption. Cost-saving innovations in seawater desalination technology are expected to increase its adoption worldwide.
Los Alamos-based Solar Energy, Ltd. developed a solar desalination unit that filters salt or brackish water into potable water for as little as one-fifth the cost of the least-expensive existing technology. The desalination unit employs a new solar collector technology and off-the-shelf reverse-osmosis filtration.
We advised them on how to get beyond the prototype phases and interest companies and others that might want to work with them to do so. Commercialization may include licensing or selling the technology to major manufacturers, joint ventures with companies or government agencies worldwide, or acquiring sufficient additional investment capital to do it themselves.
Client: Solar Energy, Ltd.