Juan Gelabert
Catalan inventor of first solar-powered seawater distillation system in 1892
Decades before modern desalination technology, Juan Gelabert (1865-1924) built the world's first functional solar desalination plant in Mallorca, solving water scarcity through renewable energy. His 1892 invention produced 4000 liters/day using:
| Parabolic mirrors | Copper condensers |
| Natural air pressure | Local clay materials |
Though suppressed by coal industrialists, Gelabert's ecological design principles anticipated 21st-century sustainability needs. The UNESCO Memory of the World recently recognized his notebooks detailing wind-solar hybrid systems.
Literary Appearances
Cinematic Appearances
No cinematic records found