From ocean waves to a cool drink of water, a startup has come up with a method of desalination powered by the sea itself. The Swell Actuated Reverse Osmosis System, SAROS for short, uses high-pressure pumps powered by the vertical motion of waves to remove salt from ocean water, making it fit for human consumption.
The founders believe SAROS could be used to address fresh water shortages in coastal areas, island communities, and after natural disasters when regular water purification systems are disrupted.
Although SAROS turns seawater into fresh, drinkable water, it only works on a small scale. That, as the founders describe, means their creation isn’t likely to solve the devastating drought in California.
It can, however, help provide the fresh water desperately needed in areas suffering from a water crisis on a smaller scale. By the year 2050, shortages of fresh water are expected to impact almost 1 billion people on Earth.