Even in this modern day and age, there are still some countries that don’t have access to safe drinking water. It’s pretty ironic considering the fact that the Earth is 2/3 water. Luckily, non-government organizations like GivePower continue to come up with innovative ways to address the water crisis in these remote areas. One of which is a solar power water transforming plant that effectively turns ocean water into potable water.
This microgrid water desalination system operates in the coastal area of Kiunga, a small village in Kenya. It started operating in July 2018. Since then, it has been supplying 75,000 liters of freshwater per day, which is enough for 25,000 people.
Although desalination technology is not entirely new, its process often requires high levels of energy and is therefore expensive. So, relying on renewable and free energy sources like solar power might be a more sustainable alternative.
The construction of this solar power water transforming plant is a big milestone for the residents of Kiunga in Kenya
As such, the “solar water farm” uses solar panels to absorb energy which they then store in Tesla batteries. Overall, the system can power two water pumps each day, at 50 kilowatts.
Before the installation of the plant, locals had to travel for over an hour to get to a water source. For years, they had been using contaminated and brackish water for drinking, bathing, cooking and more. The NGO’s president, Hayes Barnard, has also stressed the adverse effects of such.
“You see children inside of these villages, and they’ve got these scars on their stomachs or their knees because they got so much salt in their wounds. They were basically poisoning their families with this water.”
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Thanks to this life-changing technology, the people of Kiunga now have access to safe drinking water. That said, they also now have more protection against various waterborne diseases.
GivePower primarily focuses on providing solar solutions to developing regions that have limited access to electricity. To date, they’ve successfully supplied power to over 2,650 schools across 17 different countries. Among their latest projects include the installation of a solar microgrid system in the community of Zamuro in Colombia.
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The project has garnered praises from people over the internet
Watch this video to learn more about GivePower’s “solar water farm” in Kiunga
Feel free to visit GivePower’s website to learn more about their projects and advocacies.
Source: GivePower Website | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube