In November 2017, chemists at the University of California, Irvine presented a new type of solar power generator, UC Irvine News reported. Its electricity came from the motion of ions rather than electrons. Two layers of dye-coated polyethylene membranes separated protons and hydroxide ions under light, generating 60 millivolts on average. The work, led by Shane Ardo, appeared in the journal Joule. Because of its ionic principle, the researchers saw a possible use in the direct desalination of seawater.
The report stood for basic research that aims to couple desalination directly to sunlight instead of routing solar power through pumps and membrane plants. The path to application was open at the time.
Source: UC Irvine News