The US Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI), has announced the selection of 16 projects that will develop desalination technologies that can treat nontraditional water sources (e.g., brackish water, seawater, and industrial wastewater) and shrink the carbon footprint of the water-treatment industry.
NAWI is a 5-year, US$110M research program supported by the DOE in partnership with the California Department of Water Resources, the California State Water Resources Control Board, and numerous industry and academic partners.
“We are eager to partner with NAWI to support these awardees, whose work will improve the quality and availability of water for human consumption, agriculture, energy, and materials production,” said Kelly Speakes-Backman, principal deputy assistant secretary for Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. “The projects will apply cutting-edge research and development to our water-management challenges, ensuring we make the most of every water resource at our disposal.”
According to the DOE, improved desalination technologies can make nontraditional sources of water a cost-effective alternative. These nontraditional sources can then be applied to a variety of uses, such as drinking water, industrial process water, and irrigation. As an added benefit, these water supplies contain valuable minerals and organic materials that can be reclaimed and usefully repurposed.
The selected projects will perform research in autonomous operation, modular and manufacturable systems, and electrified treatment processes.
