China has unveiled a new solar desalination technology that could produce fresh water at a lower cost than bottled water.

A team of researchers developed a next-generation photothermal material that uses nanoparticles embedded in a three-dimensional structure to harness solar energy much more efficiently.

According to tests, the system absorbs up to 90.2% of solar radiation and reduces energy consumption to evaporate seawater by 45.7%.

During a year of outdoor testing, the prototype ran solely on sunlight, without electricity or fossil fuels, producing enough water to irrigate 5 m² of crops throughout its growth cycle.

The researchers estimate that after two years of operation, the cost of produced water would be lower than that of bottled water, and that the economic advantage would increase further if the technology is implemented on a larger scale.

🇨🇳☀️💧 China has unveiled a new solar desalination technology that could produce fresh water at a lower cost than bottled water.

🇨🇳☀️💧 China has unveiled a new solar desalination technology that could produce fresh water at a lower cost than bottled water.

A team of researchers developed a next-generation photothermal material that uses nanoparticles embedded in a three-dimensional structure to harness solar energy much more efficiently.

According to tests, the system absorbs up to 90.2% of solar radiation and reduces energy consumption to evaporate seawater by 45.7%.

During a year of outdoor testing, the prototype ran solely on sunlight, without electricity or fossil fuels, producing enough water to irrigate 5 m² of crops throughout its growth cycle.

The researchers estimate that after two years of operation, the cost of produced water would be lower than that of bottled water, and that the economic advantage would increase further if the technology is implemented on a larger scale.