‘Hot spots’ increase efficiency of solar desalination

Date posted
Funding Agency
(Funded by the National Science Foundation and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research)

Researchers have shown they could boost the efficiency of a nanotechnology-enabled solar membrane desalination system by more than 50% by adding inexpensive plastic lenses to concentrate sunlight into 'hot spots.’ The solar desalination system reduces production costs, and engineers are working to scale it up for applications in remote areas that have no access to electricity.