Advancing the way we treat and use water and resources NAWI is a 5-year, $110M research program supported by the U.S. Department of Energy in partnership with the California Department of Water Resources, the California State Water Resources Control Board, and numerous industry and academic partners. NAWI is headquartered at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). It was co-founded by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
NAWI is a 5-year, $110M research program supported by the U.S. Department of Energy in partnership with the California Department of Water Resources, the California State Water Resources Control Board, and numerous industry and academic partners. NAWI is headquartered at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). It was co-founded by Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL).
NAWI aims to secure an affordable, energy-efficient, and resilient water supply for the US economy through decentralized, fit-for-purpose desalination. In particular, NAWI is working to develop a portfolio of technologies that enables 90% of nontraditional water sources to be treatable at a levelized cost comparable to today’s marginal water supplies within 10 years.
NAWI aims to foster a circular water economy in which every drop is accounted for and all resources are reused. NAWI finances high-impact research, facilitates networking and knowledge sharing, maps knowledge gaps where innovation is needed most, and educates stakeholders on water treatment technologies.
NAWI focuses on novel water treatment and resource recovery technologies that are well-suited to small-scale, autonomous, and distributed treatment systems. This frontier of innovation has not been the main focus of industry because today’s water treatment systems are designed around a legacy of custom-built, large-scale treatment plants and distribution systems.
Why NAWI?
Water and energy are inextricably linked and we need both to sustain human societies. However, freshwater is typically used once and thrown away. Energy is not often used in a water-smart way. This is where NAWI comes in. NAWI is designed to greatly improve desalination technologies so that water can be continuously used and returned to where it is needed. Water that was once thrown away can become clean, safe, and affordable.
We believe that 20th century water infrastructure can be made more resilient and efficient with the addition of smaller-scale distributed treatment that enables a larger amount of local water reuse. When many people think of water treatment and desalination, they often think of ocean water and large treatment plants by the sea. However, NAWI is championing the development of smaller, more nimble and deployable treatment systems that could treat a wider range of impaired water sources and enable facilities and communities to use and reuse their water over and over again.