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3_layers_deep t1_j222zfg wrote

Reply to comment by Surur in UIUC Researchers propose a new way to get fresh water from seawater, without the disadvantages of traditional desalination. They say that a vertical “capture surface” that is 210 m wide and 100 m tall, could extract enough vapor floating above warm oceans to supply 500,000 people with freshwater by lughnasadh

> Otherwise it is cost competitive

I really doubt that. That is a giant structure, which will create a ton of engineering challenges(many that won't be foreseen).

We are talking about something approaching skyscraper height, with over double the width of a football field, and this structure is supposed to be sitting over ocean water.

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Surur t1_j22zolw wrote

In the paper they compare it to the size of an oil rig or cruise ship, and propose a cost of construction of $600 million.

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