Aussie oPod gets nod from global water prize.
- 2 days ago
- 3 min read
Updated: 9 hours ago
A pendulum-shaped pod floating off Tasmania’s north coast has been named Australia’s only contender in a major international competition to solve global water security.
Developed by Queensland company Blue Carbon, the oPod™ Aqua has been selected as one of 20 semi-finalists in Track A, from an initial pool of 674 teams across 86 countries entering two tracks in 2024. XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition, a $119 million, five-year global initiative focused on enabling widespread access to clean water through reliable, affordable, and sustainable seawater desalination technologies.
Tethered in Okehampton Bay near Orford, the Australian-designed, self-powered desalination unit uses wave, solar and wind energy to convert seawater into drinking water. Most of the 26m-long oPod sits beneath the surface, with only a 5m buoy-shaped structure visible above water.
Unlike power-hungry, land-based desalination systems, the oPod™ Aqua works totally off-grid.
Using wave action it draws water from deep below the surface and then desalinates it, using onboard solar panels and wind turbines. The prototype unit can produce 100L/hour and stores more than 6000 litres in onboard tanks.
Leftover brine is only slightly saltier than the surrounding seawater and is rapidly diluted in open water. The oPod’s upwelling flows further mix the discharge, preventing the “salt hotspots” often associated with traditional desalination.
Next-generation units are now in development, expected to produce 20,000–50,000 litres per day from a single unit by replacing electric pumps with wave-driven flow.
The oPod™ Aqua avoids the high capital costs of land-based desalination plants and offers ongoing savings in power and maintenance.
“At the heart of the system is Blue Carbon’s passive fluidic logic — a mechanical computer that removes the need for complex sensors and controls,” Blue Carbon CEO, Dr Novak said. “With fewer moving parts, it’s more durable, easier to maintain and lowers the cost of water.”
The oPod™ Aqua is part of a broader suite of ocean-based technologies being developed by Blue Carbon, co-founded by Dr Ana Novak and Eva Chiu.
More information: https://bluecarbon.cc/
Blue Carbon acknowledged the contributions of the team supporting the deployment, including BLW Marine Management, Marine Solutions, Rock Electrical & Solar and West Marine, whose support has been instrumental.
About XPRIZE
XPRIZE is the recognized global leader in designing and executing large-scale competitions to solve humanity's greatest challenges. For over 30 years, our unique model has democratized crowd-sourced innovation and scientifically scalable solutions that accelerate a more equitable and abundant future. Donate, learn more, and co-architect a world of abundance with us at xprize.org.
Launched in March 2024, the award draws on corporate support under the title sponsorship of Tthe Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative, a non-profit organisation committed to driving coordinated action to address the growing threat of global water scarcity.
Other partners include the American Membrane Technology Association, Global Water the Intelligence/Water Desal Report, the International Desalination and Reuse Association, the North American Membrane Society, the National Alliance for Water Innovation, SustainChain and the Water Environment Federation.
The prize challenges innovators to design and demonstrate novel desalination technologies that are energy-efficient, low-cost and environmentally sustainable. Solutions must increase access to clean water without relying on fragile infrastructure or creating downstream harm to ecosystems.
Teams must prove their solutions work not only in the lab but also in real-world conditions.
How XPRIZE Is Disrupting Desalination Tech to Address the Global Water Crisis
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