Evaluation of Solar Energy Powered Seawater Desalination Processes: A Review
Solar energy, amongst all renewable energies, has attracted inexhaustible attention all over the world as a supplier of sustainable energy. The energy requirement of major seawater desalination processes such as multistage flash (MSF), multi-effect distillation (MED) and reverse osmosis (RO) are ful...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
MDPI AG
2022-09-01
|
| Series: | Energies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/18/6562 |
| _version_ | 1797488928810336256 |
|---|---|
| author | Mudhar A. Al-Obaidi Rana H. A. Zubo Farhan Lafta Rashid Hassan J. Dakkama Raed Abd-Alhameed Iqbal M. Mujtaba |
| author_facet | Mudhar A. Al-Obaidi Rana H. A. Zubo Farhan Lafta Rashid Hassan J. Dakkama Raed Abd-Alhameed Iqbal M. Mujtaba |
| author_sort | Mudhar A. Al-Obaidi |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Solar energy, amongst all renewable energies, has attracted inexhaustible attention all over the world as a supplier of sustainable energy. The energy requirement of major seawater desalination processes such as multistage flash (MSF), multi-effect distillation (MED) and reverse osmosis (RO) are fulfilled by burning fossil fuels, which impact the environment significantly due to the emission of greenhouse gases. The integration of solar energy systems into seawater desalination processes is an attractive and alternative solution to fossil fuels. This study aims to (i) assess the progress of solar energy systems including concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) to power both thermal and membrane seawater desalination processes including MSF, MED, and RO and (ii) evaluate the economic considerations and associated challenges with recommendations for further improvements. Thus, several studies on a different combination of seawater desalination processes of solar energy systems are reviewed and analysed concerning specific energy consumption and freshwater production cost. It is observed that although solar energy systems have the potential of reducing carbon footprint significantly, the cost of water production still favours the use of fossil fuels. Further research and development on solar energy systems are required to make their use in desalination economically viable. Alternatively, the carbon tax on the use of fossil fuels may persuade desalination industries to adopt renewable energy such as solar. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:10:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-91ab345f858349b68c5cec77fe8b138c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T00:10:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-91ab345f858349b68c5cec77fe8b138c2023-11-23T16:01:53ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-09-011518656210.3390/en15186562Evaluation of Solar Energy Powered Seawater Desalination Processes: A ReviewMudhar A. Al-Obaidi0Rana H. A. Zubo1Farhan Lafta Rashid2Hassan J. Dakkama3Raed Abd-Alhameed4Iqbal M. Mujtaba5Technical Institute of Baquba, Middle Technical University, Baghdad 10074, IraqTechnical Engineering College Kirkuk, Northern Technical University, Kirkuk 36001, IraqPetroleum Engineering Department, College of Engineering, University of Kerbala, Karbala 56001, IraqTechnical Engineering College-Baghdad, Middle Technical University, Baghdad 10074, IraqDepartment of Biomedical and Electronics Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UKChemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering and Informatics, University of Bradford, Bradford BD7 1DP, UKSolar energy, amongst all renewable energies, has attracted inexhaustible attention all over the world as a supplier of sustainable energy. The energy requirement of major seawater desalination processes such as multistage flash (MSF), multi-effect distillation (MED) and reverse osmosis (RO) are fulfilled by burning fossil fuels, which impact the environment significantly due to the emission of greenhouse gases. The integration of solar energy systems into seawater desalination processes is an attractive and alternative solution to fossil fuels. This study aims to (i) assess the progress of solar energy systems including concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV) to power both thermal and membrane seawater desalination processes including MSF, MED, and RO and (ii) evaluate the economic considerations and associated challenges with recommendations for further improvements. Thus, several studies on a different combination of seawater desalination processes of solar energy systems are reviewed and analysed concerning specific energy consumption and freshwater production cost. It is observed that although solar energy systems have the potential of reducing carbon footprint significantly, the cost of water production still favours the use of fossil fuels. Further research and development on solar energy systems are required to make their use in desalination economically viable. Alternatively, the carbon tax on the use of fossil fuels may persuade desalination industries to adopt renewable energy such as solar.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/18/6562seawater desalinationmulti-effect distillationmultistage flashreverse osmosisphotovoltaic and concentrated solar powerspecific energy consumption |
| spellingShingle | Mudhar A. Al-Obaidi Rana H. A. Zubo Farhan Lafta Rashid Hassan J. Dakkama Raed Abd-Alhameed Iqbal M. Mujtaba Evaluation of Solar Energy Powered Seawater Desalination Processes: A Review Energies seawater desalination multi-effect distillation multistage flash reverse osmosis photovoltaic and concentrated solar power specific energy consumption |
| title | Evaluation of Solar Energy Powered Seawater Desalination Processes: A Review |
| title_full | Evaluation of Solar Energy Powered Seawater Desalination Processes: A Review |
| title_fullStr | Evaluation of Solar Energy Powered Seawater Desalination Processes: A Review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Evaluation of Solar Energy Powered Seawater Desalination Processes: A Review |
| title_short | Evaluation of Solar Energy Powered Seawater Desalination Processes: A Review |
| title_sort | evaluation of solar energy powered seawater desalination processes a review |
| topic | seawater desalination multi-effect distillation multistage flash reverse osmosis photovoltaic and concentrated solar power specific energy consumption |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/18/6562 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT mudharaalobaidi evaluationofsolarenergypoweredseawaterdesalinationprocessesareview AT ranahazubo evaluationofsolarenergypoweredseawaterdesalinationprocessesareview AT farhanlaftarashid evaluationofsolarenergypoweredseawaterdesalinationprocessesareview AT hassanjdakkama evaluationofsolarenergypoweredseawaterdesalinationprocessesareview AT raedabdalhameed evaluationofsolarenergypoweredseawaterdesalinationprocessesareview AT iqbalmmujtaba evaluationofsolarenergypoweredseawaterdesalinationprocessesareview |