Spain’s Stunning Teatro del Agua Solar Desalination Plant

As the planet heats up and our resources stretch to accommodate a skyrocketing population, it has become clear that water will be a hotly contested commodity in the coming years – some are even calling it the “new oil”. Charles Paton has endeavored to meet this challenge with his Seawater Greenhouse which takes a low-cost, low-energy, carbon-neutral approach to desalination. Recently he’s been working with Eden Project and Grimshaw Architects to create a gorgeous sweeping Teatro Del Agua. The design will incorporate Paton’s remarkable desalination method with a publicly accessible venue for the performing arts, once again focusing our societies around the common element that sustains them.

Teatro del Aqua, solar desalination in Spain, Seawater Greenhouse, Charles Paton, grimshaw architects, water issues, potable water, drinking water, fresh water, new oil, teatro2

The Teatro del Agua works by coupling “a series of evaporators and condensers such that the airborne moisture from the evaporators is then collected from the condensers, which are cooled by deep seawater.” The sweeping structure will incorporate solar panels to provide heat for the evaporators and will operate almost entirely on renewable energy.

The Teatro del Agua is planned to be but in Spain’s Canary Islands. We’ve covered culturally focused desalination plants in the past, and we’d love to see more innovative ideas such as these begin to precipitate around the world.

+ Seawater Greenhouse
+ Grimshaw Architects

Via cleantechnica.com

7 Comments

candidebajacalifornia January 1, 2011 at 4:29 am

I am referring you to a business man that is in the irrigation business, but I would like to start this in my natal town, our wells are salty, show me how to begin this most awaited project, crucial for our times, help, contact me please.
Spike96 August 31, 2009 at 3:39 pm

Nice idea, but I think I would rather go with proven technology.
This system is already has a prototype up and running in India.
http://www.solarwaterenergy.net/index.html
And it produces electricity or hydrogen to boot!!!
kimberly kleinschmidt August 15, 2009 at 10:55 am

Is it possible to fabricate this for a single family dwelling?
rohit_theruler.008 September 13, 2008 at 1:37 pm

an antic peace
Hydrocultura September 4, 2008 at 3:45 pm

Beatifull ideas turning into amazing solutions.

I congratulate all who concentrate their efforts to these wonderful advances.

From Cancun Mexico, i call for all to unite…
Jac June 19, 2008 at 2:40 am

sweet…
tuttles June 18, 2008 at 5:15 pm

An amazing project on so many levels.