ISKAYUNA, N.Y., Nov. 30 (UPI) -- A partnership between GE Global Research and Texas Tech University will use wind turbines to create new sources of freshwater.
The partnership, announced Wednesday, said the two would work to develop affordable desalination systems to increase the quantity and quality of clean water around the world. The partnership will focus on integrating renewable energy systems, such as ind turbines, with membrane desalination processes, GE Global Research said in a statement.
The statement said this could potentially reduce the costs to create new sources of freshwater.
"Up to 50 percent of the operating costs of desalination is derived from energy consumption," Minesh Shah, project leader, GE Global Research, said in the statement. "With the potential for large variability in energy costs due to fuel price volatility, desalination systems can have significant operational costs.
"The integration of wind energy provides an opportunity to mitigate this variability and allow for a lower cost desalination system."
Dean Smith, vice president for research at TTU, said: "Developing cost-effective technologies that address improving water quality and availability are of critical importance to many water stressed areas in this region."
