Merlin Earns Special Award

10 November 2016, Fremont, California: The California Clean Tech Open, awarded the Merlin Eco Solutions portable water purifier a special prize today, citing it for “outstanding innovation that improves operational performance, productivity and efficiency, while working to solve our global water challenge”.

The California Clean Tech Open is a business plan competition, sponsored by the State of California, Silicon Valley venture capital companies, law firms that work in Silicon Valley, and by several large corporations (PG&E, IBM, Dow Chemical, Daikan (Japan) et al). This year, the final business plan judging was held in Fremont, Ca – literally across the street from the manufacturing plant of Tesla electric cars, and just down the road from Solar City world HQ. 

The judges in the California Clean Tech Open have been doing this sort of “Clean Tech” competition for 10 years, in several categories. Green (i.e. sustainable and environmentally friendly) power generation and storage. Green transportation. Green buildings. Green water solutions. And so on. They have seen, and awarded, some of the most amazing and innovative technologies coming out of Silicon Valley.

That’s why this award is unique. The California Clean Tech Open judges have never before seen anything else like the Merlin Eco Solutions water purifier, at this price point ($1,350 for the base unit), at this productivity (1 gallon/minute), and at this performance (EPA classified “sterilized” water). All out of a backpack, which weighs less than 10 Kg (24 lbs). With the optional solar panels, the backpack essentially is a “clean water factory” for up to 2700 people per day – 500x cheaper per liter than purchasing or stockpiling bottled water.

In California, Merlin purifiers are being deployed as part of an Earthquake preparedness kit, which during an emergency, manufactures clean water for 500x cheaper per liter than stockpiling bottled water. In Flint, Michigan, Merlin purifiers are being used to clean the toxic Lead (and other metals), and the harmful pathogens, out of the contaminated Flint Muni water supply. Merlin purifiers are also used in Nepal, as part of earthquake relief, and in Kenya.

We are thrilled to receive this Award of Excellence from this prestigious competition!