IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/appene/v351y2023ics0306261923012400.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Unlocking synergies between seawater desalination and saline gradient energy: Assessing the environmental and economic benefits for dual water and energy production

Author

Listed:
  • Mendoza-Zapata, Luis
  • Maturana-Córdoba, Aymer
  • Mejía-Marchena, Ricardo
  • Cala, Anggie
  • Soto-Verjel, Joseph
  • Villamizar, Salvador

Abstract

The global scarcity of fresh water has increased the desalination systems' importance. Although these systems face certain limitations, significant efforts are being made using renewable energy sources like Saline Gradient Energy (SGE). This led to the emergence of two technologies: Pressure Retarded Osmosis (PRO) and Reversal Electrodialysis (RED). Hence, this innovative study aims to contrast the potential environmental and economic benefits by performance of PRO and RED integration into desalinating seawater by Reverse Osmosis (SWRO). We comprehensively assessed their life cycle using SimaPro® software and conducted a stochastic economic evaluation to achieve this. For the calculation basis, the systems were dimensioned using Wave® software and theoretical-analytical methods based on technical literature. Our findings revealed SWRO-PRO is cheaper (1.49 USD/m3), less energy-intensive (4.602 kWh/m3), and more environmentally friendly than SWRO (emission reductions in the following categories: 10.31% human health, 11.79% ecosystem quality, and 11.44% natural resources depletion). SWRO was the second-best option with moderate costs (1.53 USD/m3), energy requirement (5.569 kWh/m3), and environmental impacts, while SWRO-RED was the least favorable, with higher costs (1.83 USD/m3), energy consumption (5.573 kWh/m3), and environmental impacts (increases of 22.20%, 21.02%, 15.2%, 22.2% of mentioned categories, respectively). PRO integration represented an enhancement, and despite lower benefits, RED maintains a substantial future potential. Thus, this study is a unique holistic approach that integrates environmental and economic considerations and endeavors to revolutionize our understanding of synergistic water-energy systems. Therefore, this pioneering research could pave the way to address global water scarcity and clean energy challenges.

Suggested Citation

  • Mendoza-Zapata, Luis & Maturana-Córdoba, Aymer & Mejía-Marchena, Ricardo & Cala, Anggie & Soto-Verjel, Joseph & Villamizar, Salvador, 2023. "Unlocking synergies between seawater desalination and saline gradient energy: Assessing the environmental and economic benefits for dual water and energy production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 351(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:351:y:2023:i:c:s0306261923012400
    DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121876
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261923012400
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.apenergy.2023.121876?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Kim, Jungbin & Park, Kiho & Yang, Dae Ryook & Hong, Seungkwan, 2019. "A comprehensive review of energy consumption of seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(C).
    2. Jia, Zhijun & Wang, Baoguo & Song, Shiqiang & Fan, Yongsheng, 2014. "Blue energy: Current technologies for sustainable power generation from water salinity gradient," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 31(C), pages 91-100.
    3. Okampo, Ewaoche John & Nwulu, Nnamdi, 2021. "Optimisation of renewable energy powered reverse osmosis desalination systems: A state-of-the-art review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 140(C).
    4. Giacalone, F. & Papapetrou, M. & Kosmadakis, G. & Tamburini, A. & Micale, G. & Cipollina, A., 2019. "Application of reverse electrodialysis to site-specific types of saline solutions: A techno-economic assessment," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 532-547.
    5. Alvarez-Silva, Oscar & Osorio, Andrés F., 2015. "Salinity gradient energy potential in Colombia considering site specific constraints," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 737-748.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Ewaoche John Okampo & Nnamdi Nwulu & Pitshou N. Bokoro, 2022. "Economic and Reliability Assessment of Hybrid PRO-RO Desalination Systems Using Brine for Salinity Gradient Energy Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-16, March.
    2. Etzaguery Marin-Coria & Rodolfo Silva & Cecilia Enriquez & M. Luisa Martínez & Edgar Mendoza, 2021. "Environmental Assessment of the Impacts and Benefits of a Salinity Gradient Energy Pilot Plant," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-24, June.
    3. Tashtoush, Bourhan & Alyahya, Wa'ed & Al Ghadi, Malak & Al-Omari, Jamal & Morosuk, Tatiana, 2023. "Renewable energy integration in water desalination: State-of-the-art review and comparative analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 352(C).
    4. Yin, Fanglong & Lu, Wang & Ji, Hui & Nie, Songlin & Ma, Zhonghai & Yan, Xiaopeng, 2024. "Multi-objective optimization and energy efficiency improvement for rotor duct in integrated energy recovery-pressure boost device," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 300(C).
    5. Jiadong Tang & Yun Wang & Hongyang Yang & Qianqian Zhang & Ce Wang & Leyuan Li & Zilong Zheng & Yuhong Jin & Hao Wang & Yifan Gu & Tieyong Zuo, 2024. "All-natural 2D nanofluidics as highly-efficient osmotic energy generators," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-12, December.
    6. Zhang, Weiping & Maleki, Akbar, 2022. "Modeling and optimization of a stand-alone desalination plant powered by solar/wind energies based on back-up systems using a hybrid algorithm," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 254(PC).
    7. Alessandro Cosenza & Giovanni Campisi & Francesco Giacalone & Serena Randazzo & Andrea Cipollina & Alessandro Tamburini & Giorgio Micale, 2022. "Power Production from Produced Waters via Reverse Electrodialysis: A Preliminary Assessment," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-20, June.
    8. Wan, Chun Feng & Chung, Tai-Shung, 2016. "Energy recovery by pressure retarded osmosis (PRO) in SWRO–PRO integrated processes," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 687-698.
    9. He, Wei & Wang, Jihong, 2017. "Feasibility study of energy storage by concentrating/desalinating water: Concentrated Water Energy Storage," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 185(P1), pages 872-884.
    10. Hipólito-Valencia, Brígido J. & Mosqueda-Jiménez, Francisco Waldemar & Barajas-Fernández, Juan & Ponce-Ortega, José M., 2021. "Incorporating a seawater desalination scheme in the optimal water use in agricultural activities," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 244(C).
    11. George Kyriakarakos & George Papadakis & Christos A. Karavitis, 2022. "Renewable Energy Desalination for Island Communities: Status and Future Prospects in Greece," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(13), pages 1-23, July.
    12. Foroogh Nazari Chamaki & Glenn P. Jenkins & Majid Hashemipour, 2023. "Financial, Economic, and Environmental Analyses of Upgrading Reverse Osmosis Plant Fed with Treated Wastewater," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-23, April.
    13. Tan, Guangcai & Xu, Nan & Gao, Dingxue & Zhu, Xiuping, 2022. "Superabsorbent graphene oxide/carbon nanotube hybrid Poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide) hydrogels for efficient salinity gradient energy harvest," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    14. Andrea Zaffora & Andrea Culcasi & Luigi Gurreri & Alessandro Cosenza & Alessandro Tamburini & Monica Santamaria & Giorgio Micale, 2020. "Energy Harvesting by Waste Acid/Base Neutralization via Bipolar Membrane Reverse Electrodialysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-22, October.
    15. Roberto Bruno & Vittorio Ferraro & Piofrancesco Barone & Piero Bevilacqua, 2024. "Energy and Exergy Analyses of an Innovative Heat Recovery System from the LNG Regasification Process in Green Ships," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-26, July.
    16. Naghiloo, Ahmad & Abbaspour, Majid & Mohammadi-Ivatloo, Behnam & Bakhtari, Khosro, 2015. "GAMS based approach for optimal design and sizing of a pressure retarded osmosis power plant in Bahmanshir river of Iran," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 1559-1565.
    17. Batista, Natasha E. & Carvalho, Paulo C.M. & Fernández-Ramírez, Luis M. & Braga, Arthur P.S., 2023. "Optimizing methodologies of hybrid renewable energy systems powered reverse osmosis plants," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    18. Wenxiao Chu & Francesco Calise & Neven Duić & Poul Alberg Østergaard & Maria Vicidomini & Qiuwang Wang, 2020. "Recent Advances in Technology, Strategy and Application of Sustainable Energy Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-29, October.
    19. He, Wei & Wang, Yang & Elyasigomari, Vahid & Shaheed, Mohammad Hasan, 2016. "Evaluation of the detrimental effects in osmotic power assisted reverse osmosis (RO) desalination," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 93(C), pages 608-619.
    20. Schallenberg-Rodríguez, Julieta & Del Rio-Gamero, Beatriz & Melian-Martel, Noemi & Lis Alecio, Tyrone & González Herrera, Javier, 2020. "Energy supply of a large size desalination plant using wave energy. Practical case: North of Gran Canaria," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:appene:v:351:y:2023:i:c:s0306261923012400. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.