The Role of Renewable Energy Resources in Sustainability of Water Desalination as a Potential Fresh-Water Source: An Updated Review

Abstract

Desalination is becoming a practical option to meet water demand in an increasing number of locations that are facing water scarcity. Currently, more than 150 countries in the world are already using desalination technologies, which account for about one percent of the world’s drinking water. Although for specific regions, desalination is the only feasible solution to close the supply–demand gap (for example the production of desalinated seawater in the Middle East is predicted to rise almost fourteen-fold by 2040), the sustainability of desalination systems is still remarkably under question. This review aims first to investigate the technical and economic trends and environmental and social aspects of desalination systems and then, in the second stage, to give an overview of the role of renewable energy technologies in the sustainability of the future water systems with an increasing share of desalination.

Sea Level Rise Mitigation by Global Sea Water Desalination Using Renewable-Energy-Powered Plants

“…The determination of what renewable energy source to be used and the desalination technology it is supposed to be combined with is not as simple as it may seem, since renewable energy sources vary from a region to another, limiting the chance of having a universal design for a desalination plant that is powered by a specific energy source, but as mentioned in many studies; RO technology is the most mature technology among other technologies in terms of the number of studies that have been completed regarding desalination technologies, as other technologies require further investigation. To date, RO technology can be dealt with as the most efficient and suitable desalination technology to be used worldwide, disregarding some exceptions [65].…”

Design of a Solar Powered Reverse Osmosis System in Egypt

“…Water can be characterized according to its Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) as [4]: − 500 TDS, water within the FDA standards, − 500-5000 TDS, brackish ground water and most surface water, − 5000-20000 TDS, saline water, − 20000-50000 TDS, brine water, − 50000 TDS, deep brine ground water and seawater. Desalination plants are classified as: small scale > 20000 m 3 /d, large scale from 20000 -200000 m 3 /d, and mega plants > 200000 m 3 /d [5].…”

“…A recent review is given on the global desalination processes with a focus on membrane desalination, such as RO, Membrane Desalination (MD), hybrid desalination technologies, and advanced plasmonic nonomaterials, for water desalination [2]. Currently, Multistage Flash Desalination (MSF), RO, and a combination of these (hybrid desalination) are the dominant technologies for water desalination [5]. The global shares for RO, MSF and hybrid systems are 63, 23, and 3%, respectively [5].…”

“…Currently, Multistage Flash Desalination (MSF), RO, and a combination of these (hybrid desalination) are the dominant technologies for water desalination [5]. The global shares for RO, MSF and hybrid systems are 63, 23, and 3%, respectively [5]. A combination of two or more energy sources in the desalination system is called a hybrid system.…”

Water from Air Production System based on Solar Energy in Egypt

“…This necessitates the continuous development and improvement of all existing desalination methods and the evaluation of new technologies. The problem of supplying arid regions with fresh water can be solved in the following ways [1]; Transferring water from other sites, desalinating saline water and extracting water from air air [2], [3], [4]. However, transporting water to these areas is usually very costly, and desalination depends on the presence of saline water resources, which are usually scarce in dry areas [5].…”