Water, covering over two-thirds of the Earth’s
surface,
holds immense potential for generating clean water, sustainable energy,
and metal resources, which are the cornerstones of modern society
and future development. It is highly desired to produce these crucial
elements through eco-friendly processes with minimal carbon footprints.
Interfacial solar evaporation, which utilizes solar energy at the
air–liquid interface to facilitate water vaporization and solute
separation, offers a promising solution. In this review, we systematically
report the recent progress of the cogeneration of clean water and
energy/resources including electricity, hydrogen, and metal resources
via interfacial solar evaporation. We first gain insight into the
energy and mass transport for a typical interfacial solar evaporation
system and reveal the residual energy and resources for achieving
the cogeneration goal. Then, we summarize the recent advances in materials/device
designs for efficient cogeneration. Finally, we discuss the existing
challenges and potential opportunities for the further development
of this field.