NIOT to set up green, self-powered desalination plant in Lakshadweep

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Last Updated18/03/2023

The Chennai-based National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) which is working on an initiative of providing potable water on six islands of Lakshadweep.
They are using the Low Temperature Thermal Desalination (LTTD) technology is looking to make the process free of emissions.

The NIOT is an institute working for harnessing energy from the ocean under the aegis of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES).
At present, the desalination plants provide about 1,00,000 litres of potable water each every day and are powered by diesel generator sets since there are no other sources of power in these islands.
The LTTD makes use of the difference in temperature in the ocean water at the surface and at depths of about 600 feet which is close to 15°C.
Under this technology, the warm surface seawater is flash evaporated at low pressure and the vapour is condensed with cold deep sea water.
The resulting vapour when condensed is free of salts and contaminants and fit to consume.
However, diesel power is used to reduce the water pressure making the process to be dependent on fossil-fuel which is also a precious commodity on the islands.

NIOT is looking to deploy a desalination plant that will also supply power to the plant making it a self-sustaining plant.
At present, five desalination plants are in operation in the Lakshadweep islands and four more are expected to be functioning in the near future.
The proposed self-sustaining plant would be the 10th plant and is expected to be ready by the end of 2023.