Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi developed a breakthrough solar-powered desalination unit that can convert seawater into clean drinking water at an operational cost of just Rs 2 per litre, a fraction of the cost of existing reverse osmosis plants. The device, which requires no grid electricity and uses an innovative multi-stage solar heat recovery system, can produce 500 litres of potable water per day from a single unit. The research team led by Professor Arun Kumar said the technology is designed for direct deployment in off-grid coastal villages without specialised maintenance personnel.
The Ministry of Jal Shakti has expressed strong interest in the innovation and announced a Rs 80 crore pilot programme to deploy 10,000 units across coastal districts of Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, and Gujarat by 2027. The IIT Delhi team has filed five international patents for the core desalination technology. The United Nations Development Programme has also nominated the project for its SDG Innovation Award, citing its potential to address water scarcity affecting over 200 million people in coastal regions across the developing world.