A company in Texas, USA, is preparing to demonstrate the use of desalination with the wave-power facility it is about to install in the Gulf of Mexico.
Independent Natural Resources Inc (INR) is hoping to demonstrate the ability of its Seadog pump to generate power from ocean waves that can be economically scaled to wave climates around the world.
“During the time we are operating the wave-powered facility, we will be using a portion of the electricity to run conventional reverse-osmosis desalination equipment, producing up to 3,000 gallons of fresh water per day (11,000 L/d),” says Doug Sandberg, INR vice president.
Sandberg points out that the power required to run conventional seawater desalination facilities accounts for 40%-50% of on-going operating and maintenance costs. These are costs that must be paid throughout the entire life of a facility’s existence – with the likelihood that the price per kWh being paid will increase over time because of rising fuel costs.
“Building one Seadog-powered infrastructure to produce the power, pump the water to the facility, produce the fresh water and distribute the waste brine can make seawater desalination more economical in the long-run because there are no yearly electrical costs associated with buying electricity,” he claims. “Instead, the facility would generate its own power. This can all be done with naturally occurring waves and swells along coastlines worldwide that have incredible wave resources but lack fresh water and/or the fossil fuel resources to generate power.”
The manufacturing of the desalination equipment has been completed, and it will be installed as INR prepares to deploy the Seadog platform.