The surprise result of the study is that forward osmosis is so competitive in energy terms. If solar power can reduce the cost of the heat the technology requires, then the technology could see strong growth in the future. The research used data related to Trevi Systems technology to calculate the energy consumption of forward osmosis.

Petaluma-based Trevi Systems, a forward-osmosis water-desalinization system provider, will be part of a project in Hawaii to lower the cost of turning seawater into fresh water under a $2 million award from the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO). 

Mattershift will ship its first products later this year to Trevi Systems, developer of water purification systems, for use in a seawater desalination process. "We're excited to work with Mattershift because its membranes are uniquely tailored to allow salts to pass through our system while retaining our draw solute," said John Webley, CEO of Trevi Systems. "We already demonstrated the world's lowest energy desal process in our pilot plant in the UAE last year, and Mattershift's membranes are going to allow us to push the energy consumption even lower.

ABU DHABI, UAE – Results have started emerging from the five desalination trials in Ghantoot, Abu Dhabi which are now either finished or reaching their end. Led by Abu Dhabi organisation Masdar, four companies – Veolia/Sidem, SUEZ, Abengoa and Trevi Systems were invited to set up small scale desalination systems.