We evaluate the Research & Development (R&D) opportunities for reducing the energy consumption, carbon emissions, and cost of seawater desalination for the U.S. public water supply. 

For foundational information on seawater desalination, view our Energy Bandwidth Study on U.S. Desalination Systems. This study examines energy consumption and potential savings for five seawater desalination unit operations. The report also explores the energy use implications of expanded seawater desalination to meet increased U.S. municipal water demand.

LBNL researchers collaborated with the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI) to explore the potential of direct treatment and reuse to turn industrial wastewater into an alternative water resource. 

The following report: Opportunities and for Industrial Water Treatment and Reuse, includes a technoeconomic assessment of water treatment processes using three industrial plants as case studies. The findings highlight future strategies for expanding industrial water reuse.

Researchers at Berkeley Lab and the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)  are collaborating on a demonstration project showcasing multiple water treatment systems for small scale municipal and industrial applications. The project explores how remote operation and monitoring of water treatment systems enable customers to manage systems that are geographically separate but connected through a virtual network. Researchers hope these systems will provide a sustainable solution for safe drinking water in small, disadvantaged and remote communities, such as the Salinas Valley in California, where the demonstration project will take place. This project is funded by the California State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB).