EnviroNova Solar Pond Enhanced Desalination Project.

Various technology has been implemented to make use of solar pond heat for desalination. Elpaso Solar pond, Texas USA, desalination technology was based around multistage vacuum principals but was very costly to build.

Enersalt Pty Ltd has used much cheaper optimal engineered solar stills produced in Adelaide, South Australia. When these are connected to solar pond heated water, yield increases greatly and the still continues to function at night.

The price of water continues to rise thoughout Australia and many parts of the region. Currently many remote communities are producing water at over $14 per kL using diesel generated electricity to run reverse osmosis desalination plants.

Water produced by Solar desalination systems will reduce in price as still mass production brings fixed price down. Running costs are virtually nil whereas Reverse osmosis not only has high electricity demand but also expensive membrane and pre-filter replacement costs. Carbon pricing will also make reverse osmosis more expensive whereas will make solar desalination systems a source of carbon credits.