Water scarcity is a pressing issue affecting communities worldwide, with 80% of the global population facing its consequences. To address this challenge, the XPRIZE Foundation, known for its groundbreaking initiatives, has introduced the XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition. This initiative, funded by the Mohamed bin Zayed Water Initiative and supported by Elon Musk, offers a total prize purse of $119 million over five years.
The primary objective of this competition is to foster the development of reliable, sustainable, and affordable seawater desalination systems. While our planet is predominantly covered by water, only a minuscule fraction of it is readily available for human consumption. With the global population expected to reach 8 billion by 2030, urgent action is needed to ensure access to clean water.
Traditional desalination methods face significant challenges, including negative environmental impacts and high costs. The energy-intensive nature of these processes leads to increased carbon emissions and energy consumption, exacerbating climate change. Furthermore, existing methods remain financially out of reach for many low- to medium-income countries.
The XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition seeks to address these challenges by encouraging participating teams to develop novel desalination technologies. These technologies should be scalable, cost-effective, reliable, and environmentally sustainable. The competition is divided into two tracks:
Track A: The New Desalination System, with a prize pool of $70 million, focuses on developing innovative desalination systems. Additionally, Moonshot Awards totaling $20 million incentivize breakthrough innovations in desalination technology.
Track B: Novel Membrane Materials, with a prize pool of $9.5 million, concentrates on the development of novel membrane materials for desalination processes.
Competing teams are encouraged to contribute to broader sustainability goals, including climate action and ecosystem protection. The success of the XPRIZE Water Scarcity competition holds the potential to make a profound impact on global water security and environmental sustainability by unlocking access to the vast reserves of seawater.
By incentivizing the development of new, reliable, cost-effective, and sustainable desalination solutions, the prize aims to address the root causes of water scarcity and alleviate water stress worldwide. Through collaborative innovation and technological advancement, we can pave the way for a future where clean water is abundantly available to all.