Will Solar Power Provide a Viable Clean Water Solution?

In certain parts of the world, access to fresh water is extremely limited. Some places get water delivered by trucks, or require people walking to fetch water for themselves. Environmental technology makers SwissINSO Holding Inc. hopes to help remedy these situations with a new solar-power driven, water purification system.

The company was recently awarded with contracts to supply the first of these systems to Algeria and Malaysia. They aim to sell 42 of their 40-ft long, high-volume, solar-powered, water purification system this year.

Chief Executive Yves Ducommun told Reuters that the machines can pump approximately "…100,000 litres of drinking water per day for 20 years at a price of less than $0.03 per litre, including running costs." However, the initial cost for the system is between $800,000 and $1.2 million, depending on factors like the number of solar panels required for purification.

For the places that need these water purification systems the most, the high initial is daunting. Ducommun likens the costs to long-life light bulbs in that there are higher up-front costs, but they last longer. In the same way, these governments will have to spend money to save it long-term.

Do you think the benefits of clean water outweigh the high costs for these machines?

Source: Reuters