Techno-economic assessment of solar energy coupling with large-scale desalination plant: The case of Morocco

Abstract

This paper examines the cost competitiveness of an extra-large-scale (275,000 m 3 /d) solar-powered desalination, taking as a case study the Chtouka Ait Baha plant in Morocco. It assesses the conditions at which solar Photovoltaics (PV) and Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) would be competitive with a grid (mainly fossil) driven desalination plant for the reference year and by 2030. The paper considers also a scenario where battery storage complements PV power generation. To conduct the analysis, a simple model of water cost calculation is built. Second, the cost related to energy consumption is calculated for different power supply options to evaluate the impact of energy provision cost on the final cost of water. The first main result of this paper is that desalinated water can be obtained at an acceptable cost of around 1 $/m 3 . The second one is that PV without storage remains the cheapest power supply option today and by 2030. Storage based solution appears less competitive today but can be more attractive in a framework of increasing electricity grid prices and higher flexibility requirements in the future. The paper gives recommendations regarding the implication of different technology choices in the framework of the future Moroccan energy system.

Economic feasibility of solar-powered reverse osmosis water desalination: a comparative systemic review

“…cost of about $1/m 3 on average is affordable. Furthermore, this study and other studies indicated that solar energy is cost-effective when used in RO desalination plants(Kaya et al, 2019;Kettani & Bandelier, 2020). Compared to other MENA countries, the water cost of $1/m 3 is higher than the cost in those countries in general where desalinated water costs $0.5/m 3 with RO and except for thermal systems where the water cost subsidies on water tariffs would make solar-powered RO economically viable, attracting more adoption and more bene ts(Rachid et al, 2015;Trieb & Müller-Steinhagen, 2008).On the other hand, compared to other MENA countries, solar energy supply is favored over other renewable energy sources due to both sunlight availability and different water salinity, especially in countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea.…”

“…It is suggested that building many CSP driven RO plants would make building a CPS line cheaper and provide RO plants with the CSP advantage of storing heat at a lower cost. Meanwhile, studies have shown that the best alternative is to combine grid and solar energy when only solar power supply is not adequate(Filippini et al, 2019;Kettani & Bandelier, 2020). On the other hand, the CSP-powered plant's economic feasibility in Jordan is challenged by subsidized water tariffs up to 80% lower cost than the actual cost, making it economically unviable to run (Al-Addous et al, 2020).…”

Cost effectiveness of conventionally and solar powered monovalent selective electrodialysis for seawater desalination in greenhouses

“…A specific yield of 1400 kWh/kWp [48,49,50] results in a specific capital cost of 0.32-0.46 $/kWh (SpCost PV ). The annual PV capital cost depends on the specific PV capital cost, the total MSED work in kWh/m 3 , ẆMSED , and the annual desalination capacity accounting for a 95% capacity factor [51,52]:…”

Electrochemical ammonia production from nitrates in agricultural tile drainage: Technoeconomic and global warming analysis

“…As APV systems become more widely available, this initial investment cost is expected to decrease substantially. 56 and maintenance that are associated with system design for ammonia synthesis from waste nitrates. 10 These financial barriers again highlight the necessity of an external incentive, such as an emission fee, to incentivize the proposed concept toward economic viability.…”