Abstract
In remote areas lacking clean drinking water and conventional electricity, traditional desalination methods fail to provide effective solutions. Herein, a fully self-powered, eco-friendly, and portable desalination system is designed for removing salt ions without external electricity. This system integrates a perovskite solar minimodule (PSM), an anode-free zinc-air battery (ZAB), and an electrochemical desalination (ECDI) device into a compact and autonomous platform. The ZAB functions as both a current regulator and DC-DC converter, enabling the stable operation of the ECDI and eliminating the need for additional power management circuits. Additionally, the ZAB acts as an energy buffer, allowing continued desalination during periods of partial shading or darkness. Notably, the system demonstrates a low specific energy consumption of 0.23 Wh g-1 NaCl and a total material cost of only $20.78 per system, highlighting its affordability and energy efficiency. By eliminating the intermediate electronics and relying solely on the solar energy, this stand-alone system offers a promising solution for decentralized water purification in off-grid or remote regions.