In 2020 the Energy and Climate Partnership of the Americas (ECPA) shared a blog explaining the workings, benefits, and potential locations of IPHROS. The mission of ECPA is "to promote regional energy cooperation through different strategies and actions for achieving a cleaner, safer, efficient, modern and fair energy deployment." (1)
IPHROS brings together two seemingly unrelated problems as the blog explains. "Solar and wind are intermittent, and fresh water is often in short supply. An integrated system that combines existing technologies and that runs on renewable energy could solve both those problems at the same time." (1)
ECPA conducted an interview with MIT professor Alexander Slocum. "All the technology needed for this combination water-and-power system already exists," he said.
When the blog was published in 2020 efforts to select sites, conduct feasibility studies, and work through a permitting process were ongoing. Oceanus P&W CEO Neal Aronson shared that the company had been in the site selection process and conducting feasibility studies in the state of Sonora, on the Sea of Cortés.
The blog also shared the interest to advance IPHROS in Chile. “Our research shows that Chile has the best conditions in the Americas for seawater pumped storage,” Valhalla CEO Juan Andrés Camus said in an email message, adding that the company is researching the possibility of installing a desalination plant at the upper reservoir." (1)
Since then Oceanus P&W has partnered with EDF on a project in Chile. According to Saur News Bureau, "French energy utility major EDF and Oceanus have announced plans to build a pumped hydro storage station along with a desalination plant powered by wind and solar. The plan is to use saltwater to produce hydropower during periods of high demand, while producing affordable freshwater using the same energy. The project will be located in the Chile’s Andean region, a dry coastal area." (2) Renewable Energy World published a similar summary of the Oceanus P&W announcement April 2021. (3)
Click link to ECPA blog. https://www.ecpamericas.org/finding-new-synergies-between-water-and-energy/
Click link to Saur Energy International. https://www.saurenergy.com/solar-energy-news/edf-oceanus-plan-power-desalination-by-using-pumped-storage-renewable-energy
Sources:
1. ECPA Blog, "FindingNew Synergies between Water and Energy" published May 1, 2020.
2. Saur News Bureau, "EDF, Oceanus, Plan Power & Desalination, By Using Pumped Storage, Renewable Energy" published Mar 2, 2021
3. Renewable Energy World, "Oceanus and EDF advance pumped hydro and reverse osmosis system in Latin America." Apr 3, 2021.
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