Portable desalination devices are used to provide affordable drinking water in remote coastal areas. However, solar-powered desalination technologies encounter several challenges that affect their efficiencies. Researchers from Shanghai Jiao Tong University have now developed an ultra-efficient, multistage desalination system that can produce 5.8 liters of freshwater per hour in full sunlight. The desalination system contains 10 identical 3-D printed nylon frames heaped vertically on top of a water reservoir. Although solar thermal desalination technology has remained a less expensive option, it is still inefficient and not suited for remote or resource-poor areas. After working on several challenges, researchers are now working to optimize the device and to further reduce the material cost for large scale production.