IIT Indore Develops Cost-Effective Solar-Run Water Purification System For Remote Areas

Indore (Madhya Pradesh): IIT Indore has developed a groundbreaking technology to provide cost-effective and sustainable water purification system, particularly for remote and underserved regions. Based on advanced materials and solar-driven techniques, this innovative system offers an eco-friendly solution to ensure access to clean and safe drinking water while reducing costs and minimizing environmental impact.

A team led by Prof. Rupesh Devan at IIT Indore has made significant progress in desalinating saline water using ISSG technology. Their method combines solar energy with advanced photothermal materials to efficiently and economically purify water.

Prof. Suhas Joshi, Director, IIT Indore said “Unlike traditional desalination processes such as reverse osmosis, which are energy-intensive and infrastructure-heavy, ISSG is a simpler and low-energy alternative. When exposed to sunlight, the photothermal material rapidly heats, causing the water to evaporate while leaving salts and contaminants behind. The resulting steam is condensed into purified water, making the process efficient and environmentally friendly.”

Prof. Devan said “Our goal was to develop a scalable and cost-effective water purification method. By utilizing metal oxide-based inks, we achieved high evaporation rates, essential for practical applications. The technology is particularly suitable for remote and coastal areas where seawater is abundant and conventional energy resources are scarce. We are refining the inks for broader use, including integrating them into ISSG-based desalination systems for deployment in real-world scenarios.”

Beyond desalination, the team is exploring other applications, such as treating wastewater from the dye and textile industries. Moreover, the researchers are working on multi-functional systems that combine desalination with energy generation. These systems aim to produce clean water, generate electricity, and harvest residual salts for reuse, making the technology more economically viable and environmentally sustainable