Project Traits
State: New Mexico
Congressional District: NM02
Organization Type: Commercial, Higher Education
Partner Organization(s) Type: None or Unknown
Energy Sector: Clean Power, Waste & Materials Management
Energy Subsector: Solar, Industry
Project Start Year: 2023
Project Launch Year: 2026
Government Support Received: Unknown
Outcomes & Impacts
Private Investment: Unknown
Jobs Announced or Created: Unknown
People Served: Unknown
Projected Economic Impact: Unknown
Sunvapor, Inc. and Southeast New Mexico College (SENMC) have launched the first solar-powered desalination plant at a facility about 10 miles southeast of Carlsbad, the college announced. The pilot project aims to make use of the salty wastewater, called “produced water,” generated during oil extraction.
The facility, located at a site owned by NGL Water Solutions Permian LLC, the largest produced water management company in the Permian Basin, also serves as a classroom for SENMC students. By learning to operate this technology, students prepare for technical careers in water management.
Expanding this technology could change how wastewater is handled and create a new water source for different uses: https://senmc.edu/news/2026/02/sunvapor.html