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Solar and water:

Innovative solar-powered water desalination system

The African Solar Industry Association (AFSIA) has awarded the solar company Phaesun the prestigious AFSIA Solar Award 2020 for the implementation of a solar-powered water desalination system in Tanzania in the category "Solar Innovation of the Year".

Solar-powered water desalination system based on electrodialysis

As part of the REvivED Water Research and Innovation Project, Phaesun and other partners have developed a solar-powered water desalination system based on electrodialysis technology.

This technology is suitable for saline groundwater deposits whose salt content is harmful to health but below that of seawater. Due to the high energy efficiency of electrodialysis technology, it is ideally suited for independently operated systems that draw their electricity solely from solar modules.

Improved water quality of salinated village wells

Phaesun has installed a total of eight pilot plants between 2018 and 2020 in Africa, five of them in Somaliland and Tanzania. Here they are being used in desert regions in particular to improve the water quality of salinated village wells, which the rural population uses as drinking water supplies.

Schematic drawing of solar-powered water desalination system.

Phaesun

Schematic drawing of solar-powered water desalination system.

The REvivED Water project was officially terminated in July 2020 after 4 years of operation. Phaesun is now working with three other partners to further develop the desalination plants, which were previously manufactured manually, to series production readiness. The aim is to sell them at marketable prices in regions in developing countries with weak infrastructure in order to improve the drinking water supply.

Awarded as Solar Innovation of the Year

AFSIA, based in Kigali/Uganda, is the most important association of solar companies on the African continent. Every year it honors special achievements in the African solar market. Phaesun won the Solar Innovation of the Year category against the competitors The Sun Exchange and Schneider Electric, who are active in rural electrification.

Due to the corona situation, the award ceremonies took place virtually within the framework of the African Energy Forum. Watch the complete award ceremony here and the excerpt in which Phaesun is honored here. The complete award ceremony of the AFSIA Solar Awards is available here. The excerpt in which Phaesun is honored can be found here.

Already earlier this year the solar-powered water desalination system of Phaesun was honored with The smarter E AWARD 2020 in the category “Outstanding Solar Projects”.

About Phaesun

Phaesun has been specialising in the sale, service and installation of Off-Grid photovoltaic and wind power systems since the foundation in 2001. As one of the leading system integrators of Off-Grid energy systems, Phaesun offers products of all reputable manufacturers of this trade. International project management, purposeful training courses for customers and technical support complete the range of services offered.

The headquarters of Phaesun GmbH are based in Memmingen/Germany. The Phaesun Group now has subsidiaries and sales offices in Europe, Africa and Latin America. (hcn)

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