Solar Desalination Technology Development

More than 22,000 desalination plants operate in 177 countries, collectively providing about 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.

After retiring as a theoretical physicist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, Melvin Prueitt turned his attention to clean energy and water technologies. His company, Los Alamos-based Solar Energy, Ltd., developed a solar-powered desalination system that converts seawater and brackish water into potable water at an estimated cost of as little as one-fifth that of the least expensive conventional technologies. The system combined an innovative solar collector design with readily available reverse-osmosis filtration components.

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.