Green Gold

Sometimes, you stumble upon news that makes you raise an eyebrow—whether it's a strange new invention, an unexpected consequence of climate change, or a surprising display of human clumsiness. It leaves you thinking, "Well, that's remarkable." This time it's 'GREEN GOLD'!

By 2030, global drinking water shortages are expected to worsen, and many regions are already facing water scarcity. Currently, seawater is often desalinated using energy-intensive and expensive desalination plants. However, Dutch researcher Meinke van Oenen has proposed a more sustainable alternative: using algae to remove salt from water while simultaneously converting CO2 into oxygen. She refers to this solution as "Green Gold" due to its dual benefits of addressing water scarcity and reducing carbon emissions in an environmentally friendly way.

This Dutch student is desalinating water with green gold and removing CO2 at the same time

At just twenty years old, Meinke van Oenen has been researching natural solutions to water scarcity since she was seventeen, when she wrote a paper on the topic in high school. She believes that nature's techniques, which have evolved over billions of years, are highly effective, efficient, and in harmony with the environment. Van Oenen advocates for these natural methods because they are well-suited to solving modern challenges like water shortages.

Algaenius

Meinke van Oenen's innovation, called Algaenius, uses halophilic algae—salt-loving organisms that can remove 70 to 90 percent of salt from seawater, with the efficiency increasing in warmer conditions. This technology has been researched for its potential in desalinating seawater, and while the process has been proven in studies, it has not yet been implemented on a practical scale. Van Oenen is seeking a co-founder to help establish a company that would build large-scale installations, where these algae could naturally desalinate seawater. In practice, these installations would resemble the large basins used in sewage treatment plants, where the algae would be used to purify water on a broad scale.

Breaking the vicious circle

In many regions of Asia, Africa, and the Middle East, reverse osmosis is commonly used to desalinate seawater. However, this method is inefficient. From four liters of seawater, only one liter of clean water is produced, which is then treated with additives to make it suitable for drinking. Additionally, reverse osmosis uses a significant amount of energy and generates large amounts of CO2. Meinke van Oenen points out that this creates a vicious cycle: excessive CO2 in the atmosphere causes climate change, leading to droughts and water shortages, which are then addressed by technologies that further contribute to CO2 emissions. To break this cycle, she proposes a solution that not only adapts to climate change but also mitigates it—halophilic algae. These algae absorb CO2 and release oxygen, effectively offering a form of carbon capture while desalinating water naturally.

Water shortages are increasing

Water shortages are becoming an increasingly urgent global issue, affecting even countries that might not traditionally face such challenges. Researchers predict that by 2030, many regions will experience persistent drinking water shortages. The situation is already critical in many parts of the world, with some countries at what is called "alarm phase one," signaling severe water scarcity. For example, the United Nations has warned that by 2025, over 1.8 billion people will face significant water shortages. Climate change is expected to make this problem worse, intensifying droughts and reducing water availability in many areas.

Brackish water for industry and agriculture

Meinke van Oenen clarifies that the water produced by halophilic algae is not clean drinking water, but rather brackish water, which can be used by industries and agriculture, though some crops may not tolerate its salinity. Compared to membrane desalination technology, this algae-based method is simpler, more energy-efficient, and produces less CO2, making it a more sustainable option. This technology is particularly relevant for European countries like Italy, Spain, and Greece, where significant water shortages are already emerging, offering a practical solution for these regions in the near term.

International Awards

At just twenty years old, Meinke van Oenen has already earned numerous prestigious awards for her invention. She has won several international accolades, including the United Nations Gamechanger Challenge (2023) and the Wetskills Water Challenge (2023) in New York, the INESPO Sustainability Olympiad (2022) in Utrecht, and the Dutch Junior Water Prize (2022) in Stockholm. Often recognized in the media as a young version of Boyan Slat (known for his work on the plastic problem), van Oenen is focusing her efforts on addressing the global issue of water scarcity rather than plastic pollution.

Algae desalination technology offers several advantages over traditional reverse osmosis. One key benefit is that reverse osmosis often produces concentrated salt water, known as brine, which is typically dumped back into the environment, harming marine ecosystems. In contrast, with algae technology, the algae absorb the salt from the water, transforming it into biomass. This biomass can then be used to produce biofuels or as a source of nutritional supplements. Meinke van Oenen highlights this as the innovative aspect of her algae-based solution, as it not only addresses water scarcity but also creates valuable byproducts without damaging the environment.

That's it for now. We'll be back soon with more Innovative and Sustainable news. Did you like this post? Interested in more? Feel free to like and/or share with your network.