Solar-powered resource separator for clean water production, electricity generation and critical resource recovery

Abstract

The resource and energy crisis represents one of the most pressing global challenges. In response, we propose an adsorption-coupled solar-powered seawater resource separator (ASP) to simultaneously recover fresh water, lithium and uranium, while generating green electricity. Here, by integrating multi-stage latent heat recovery and multi-field coupled effects, the extraction performance of lithium and uranium under 1 sun irradiation increases by up to 10.2 and 11.6 times, respectively, compared with dark conditions. Outdoor experiments demonstrate that ASP delivers a peak power output of 154.7 W, with a daily water collection rate of 19.82 kg m−2, alongside lithium and uranium extraction capacities of 4.50 mmol m−2 and 2.64 μmol m−2, respectively. Economic analysis indicates that ASP can maintain an annual net income exceeding US$20 m−2. Overall, this work presents an integrated strategy for coupling energy generation, water production and resource recovery, offering a promising pathway towards accelerating Sustainable Development Goals. This study presents a solar-powered multi-stage evaporation system that simultaneously produces freshwater, extracts lithium and uranium, and generates electricity, demonstrating strong technical performance and promising economic potential for sustainable resource and energy recovery.