| In many poor, third world countries, even | | | | Their technique is more energy and |
| having the resources to obtain electricity | | | | economically efficient. |
| presents a problem. Due to the lack of | | | | |
| logistics, as well as the finances even if | | | | Their method, unlike the others, runs |
| all of the logistics were in place, alternate | | | | directly on wind power. The middle step of |
| methods are necessary in orderto have the | | | | storing the electricity has been completely |
| basics that those in more financially | | | | eradicated from the equation. By storing |
| fortunate areas of the world have. | | | | water (which is more cost-effective than the |
| | | | electricity storage), calm periods, when |
| A recent development at Delft University of | | | | there is no wind, are not as dire of an |
| Technology (TU Delft) in the Netherlands is a | | | | issue. |
| basic windmill that operates a pump, in turn | | | | |
| utilizing reverse osmosis to output fresh | | | | The windmills that are in use for this |
| water from the salty seawater that is put in. | | | | process are slow-moving and strong. The |
| Reverse osmosis is a process used to purify | | | | estimations that have been done up to this |
| concentrated solutions (often water with high | | | | point on the windmills in question gauge them |
| levels of dissolved salts) in which pressure | | | | to be able to provide drinking water for a |
| is applied to the more concentrated (or | | | | small village of around five hundred people. |
| contaminated) solution on one side of a | | | | This is not per week, or per month. These |
| semipermeable membrane. The result is the | | | | estimates are on a per day basis through the |
| movement of solvent, but not solutes, from | | | | reverse osmosis process of one windmill. |
| the more concentrated side to the more dilute | | | | University of Delft is aware that an |
| side, thus separating clean solvent from the | | | | emergency supply needs to be in place to |
| concentrated solution. | | | | consume during the inevitable calm periods |
| | | | when the windmill is not able to use the wind |
| So, basically, in laymens terms, reverse | | | | power to operate the reverse osmosis |
| osmosis purifies the salt filled sea water so | | | | procedure. |
| that it is able to be used for drinking | | | | |
| water. This development by Delft University | | | | The first test run for this new development |
| is a critical advancement for small villages | | | | is set for the beginning of March, in which |
| located in arid areas near the coast. | | | | the windmill that has been operating near |
| | | | Delft will be dismantled and relocated to |
| Using windmills for desalination is nothing | | | | Curacao. The prospects of this succeeding |
| new. These contraptions have previously been | | | | will be monumental for villagers who lack |
| utilized and have been marketed already. The | | | | fresh irrigation and who have to employ |
| windmills on the market currently use wind to | | | | manual techniques to obtain any semblance of |
| produce electricity, and then store that | | | | drinkable water. The economical aspect, |
| electricity in order to begin the process of | | | | along with the quicker, machine-operated |
| reverse osmosis. Due to the expensive nature | | | | abilities villagers will now have to acquire |
| of this, as well as the fact that energy | | | | such a basic need, will surely have colossal |
| depletes during the procedure, TU Delft | | | | effects on poorer, third world countries. |
| contrived a method that is a bit different. | | | | |