Finnish startup uses solar energy to make seawater drinkable

The creation of the Finnish startup Solar Water Solutions brings hope to Namibia, which is experiencing a prolonged drought. President Hage Geingob recently declared the second state of emergency in three years in the African country, because of food shortages caused by lack of rain.

CEO Antti Pohjola's company created a process of "desanitation" technology, called "reverse osmosis", which has already is operating in the country, and which, if used on a large scale, can help supply homes and plantations with water drinkable.

The Solar Water Solutions systemit is not completely new, but it works with solar energy, without the use of batteries, and therefore avoids the emission of carbon dioxide. According to the magazine Fast Company, the system is also significantly cheaper.

How the technology works

Startup uses container with modular devices, and accompanied by solar panels, to leave fresh seawater. Image: Reproduction

Inside a cargo container that is accompanied by a row of solar panels next to the Atlantic Ocean are modular devices. The smallest system has the capacity to produce 3,500 liters of water per hour. The process also filters the water, using a membrane that removes bacteria, viruses and other contaminants.

“Operating costs are basically zero because solar energy is free,” said Antti Pohjola. Also, according to him, in the traditional system, the desalination process would consume a large amount of electricity because reverse osmosis requires water to be subjected to a pressure constant. In turn, the new technology maintains the right pressure independently, without the need for expensive batteries to store energy.

Technology can also come in handy away from the beach. In Kenya, for example, the startup installed the system in rural villages, where groundwater normally used by the population is considered unfit for consumption. “We focus on remote areas, where there is no electricity infrastructure available,” said Pohjola.

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