**Development of Eco-friendly Desalination Technology Using Solar Energy**
Field demonstration to begin in October… Accelerating advancement and commercialization
The Ministry of Science and ICT announced on the 15th that it is pushing forward with the field demonstration of next-generation seawater desalination technology, in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST). This initiative aims to tackle the water shortage problem through scientific technology amidst the climate crisis, including severe droughts.
The technology being demonstrated combines solar energy with membrane distillation, a next-generation desalination technique. Membrane distillation utilizes the principle where vapor generated from heated seawater passes through a membrane with tiny pores and condenses in a cold freshwater tank. This method is more energy-efficient and emits less carbon compared to the widely used reverse osmosis or evaporation methods, as it operates at lower temperatures and pressures.
Supported by the Ministry of Science and ICT, this KIST-developed technology reduces energy consumption by 30% using solar energy while increasing the desalination efficiency by 9.6%. However, it remains in the early experimental stages, requiring further demonstration and technological refinement for practical application in real-world environments.
The demonstration will take place at the Gangneung-Wonju National University Marine Science Education Center in Gangneung, Gangwon Province. This location, adjacent to the sea, is suitable for long-term testing as it allows direct access to seawater. The desalination equipment will be transported and installed on-site in September, with the main demonstration scheduled to run from October to the end of November for approximately two months.
Ku Hyuk-chae, the First Vice Minister of Science and ICT, stated, “Through this demonstration, we aim to verify the field applicability of existing research outcomes and develop improvement measures, thereby creating tangible research results that can directly contribute to drought relief.”
Oh Sang-rok, President of KIST, added, “KIST is striving to achieve results that citizens can feel by setting missions to respond to the climate crisis,” and he expressed the institute’s dedication to leading field-oriented innovative R&D efforts to address not only droughts but also other climate and environmental issues.