Decentralized Co-Generation of Fresh Water and Electricity at Point of Consumption
Many in the community believe that additional anthropogenic CO2
in the atmosphere can push the Earth into a vicious cycle and down a
path of no return. Consequently, solar energy must sit at the center of
the water–energy–climate nexus as the world is shifting into a
decarbonized and circular economy. Simultaneous production of
electricity and fresh water by photovoltaic‐membrane distillation
(PV‐MD), a newly developed technology, turns waste heat from solar PV
panels into a power source to drive an efficient water distillation
process. It produces fresh and clean potable‐quality water on‐site from
various water sources with impaired quality, such as seawater,
contaminated rivers, lakes, groundwater, and industrial wastewater. Due
to the low barrier of entry, it is well suited to providing both
electricity and fresh water in decentralized manner for
point‐of‐consumption locations, especially off‐grid communities and
communities with small‐ to medium‐sized populations even with
challenging economic conditions. This essay highlights the potential of
PV‐MD to supply decentralized water and electricity for regions
suffering from both economic and physical water scarcity as well as its
promise to contribute to agriculture in (semi)arid regions.
