Researchers of Indian Institute of Technology, Madras have won the first two phases of the ‘Waves to Water Prize’ organized by U.S. Department of Energy. They were the part of ‘Nalu e Wai’ team which is the collaboration of U.S., India and Sweden. The main objective of the project is to design a wave energy-based desalination system which can provide post-disaster drinking water supply to coastal areas.

The team is currently working on a rapidly-deployable, small-scale wave-powered desalination system. The objection of this system is the deployment of substantial numbers of these devices for water-starved coastal communities.

The ‘Waves to Water’ Prize is organized by the U.S. Department of Energy Waterpower Technologies Office to challenge the innovators in submitting the ideas related to development of wave-powered desalination systems.