“We call it alchemy - converting wind to water”

The plant is one of the newest in a rapid spread of desalination plants in countries that can afford them. Though the plants are expensive to build, water from them costs only $3.50 per 1,000 gallons. (about $1/Kl). They are commonplace in the Middle East, where oil pays for water, and Southern California is home to many smaller plants. What sets the Perth plant apart is not only its size but its engine —wind power. The plant is driven by power from 48 turbines in the Emu Downs Wind Farm, about 100 miles to the north, with a capacity of 80 megawatts of electricity, more than three times the needs of the plant. That avoids the trade-off at most desalination plants, which are powered by fossil fuels that produce greenhouse gases.

Some of Australia’s leading scientists have joined forces to find a more energy efficient way of converting salt water to drinking water. While desalination might be easier for many voters and politicians to swallow than the prospect of recycled sewage, converting salt water to drinking water is expensive and energy-hungry. But a new project involving scientists from the CSIRO and nine Australian universities aims to vastly improve the efficiency of desalination methods and cut the costs - both financial and environmental.