The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), in partnership with the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI), today announced the selection of seven projects that will help the United States secure an affordable, energy-efficient water supply. Selected projects will develop innovative approaches and technologies that focus on autonomous operation and precision separations in water treatment. The water-energy nexus is crucial to the development of a decarbonized industrial sector. These projects will develop technologies that maximize industrial process efficiency and minimize environmental impact, thereby advancing the goals of the Biden Administration and bolstering the green economy and workforce.

These selections support projects focused on advanced water treatment processes and technologies to minimize the cost and energy burdens of non-traditional water sources, expanding the U.S. water supply, improving climate resiliency, and reducing carbon emissions throughout America’s energy and water infrastructure. Projects funded through this solicitation will specifically address the autonomous water and precision separation challenges for non-traditional water sources. NAWI has identified automation and creation of smart water systems as one of the highest needs in the water sector.

The research topics selected for funding support the technology-related goals established in the NAWI Master Roadmap which was published in the summer of 2021.

For a full list of selected projects, click here.

NAWI is a public-private partnership that brings together a world-class team of industry and academic partners to examine the critical technical barriers and research needed to radically lower the cost and energy of desalination. NAWI is led by DOE's Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in collaboration with National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and is funded by the Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE)'s Industrial Efficiency and Decarbonization Office.