Chinese tech makes desalinating seawater cheaper than producing bottled water
Chinese researchers have developed a new desalination technology that reduces the cost of turning seawater into freshwater to below the price of producing bottled water. The method uses a nanofiltration membrane system that cuts energy consumption significantly, potentially addressing water scarcity issues.
Background
- China's Shandong Province recently launched a large-scale seawater desalination plant using a novel "low-pressure reverse osmosis" membrane developed by Chinese researchers. The membrane filters salt from seawater using less energy than conventional methods, cutting the cost of desalinated water to about 1-2 yuan (US$0.14-0.28) per tonne — cheaper than producing bottled water (which typically costs several yuan per litre in China).