IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v12y2019i24p4651-d295377.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Is Renewable Energy-Powered Desalination a Viable Solution for Water Stressed Regions? A Case Study in Algarve, Portugal

Author

Listed:
  • Gil Azinheira

    (IDMEC, Mechanical Engineering Department, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Raquel Segurado

    (IDMEC, Mechanical Engineering Department, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

  • Mário Costa

    (IDMEC, Mechanical Engineering Department, Instituto Superior Técnico, Universidade de Lisboa, 1049-001 Lisboa, Portugal)

Abstract

With a severe seasonal concentration of precipitation and unevenly distributed water resources, the water supply in Portugal is under stress, and the problem is expected to increase with climate change. Water desalination is increasingly becoming the preferred solution to fight water scarcity, but, because it is energy-intensive, the underlying costs and sustainability concerns over the power sources chosen remain a challenge to its implementation. This study aims to assess if the introduction of renewable energy sources (RES) powered desalination in mainland Portugal is viable and can contribute to guarantee water security. The Portuguese Algarve region is a viable case study to be considered because it is particularly water stressed and subject to highly varying demographics depending on the season. Taking the region’s freshwater demand, hourly RES production and power demand, a cost analysis was performed in order to obtain the levelized cost of water (LCOW) for two different strategies (centralized and decentralized). Two models were developed to estimate the LCOW: a simplified model and a subsequent optimization model, minimizing electricity costs. The resulting LCOW of 72.66 c€/m 3 , obtained for the decentralized solution, fits within the industry standard rate despite being 61.3% higher than the estimated conventional water supply production cost.

Suggested Citation

  • Gil Azinheira & Raquel Segurado & Mário Costa, 2019. "Is Renewable Energy-Powered Desalination a Viable Solution for Water Stressed Regions? A Case Study in Algarve, Portugal," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-18, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:24:p:4651-:d:295377
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/24/4651/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/12/24/4651/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gude, Veera Gnaneswar & Nirmalakhandan, Nagamany & Deng, Shuguang, 2010. "Renewable and sustainable approaches for desalination," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 14(9), pages 2641-2654, December.
    2. Segurado, R. & Madeira, J.F.A. & Costa, M. & Duić, N. & Carvalho, M.G., 2016. "Optimization of a wind powered desalination and pumped hydro storage system," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 177(C), pages 487-499.
    3. Giudici, Federico & Castelletti, Andrea & Garofalo, Elisabetta & Giuliani, Matteo & Maier, Holger R., 2019. "Dynamic, multi-objective optimal design and operation of water-energy systems for small, off-grid islands," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C), pages 605-616.
    4. Khan, Meer A.M. & Rehman, S. & Al-Sulaiman, Fahad A., 2018. "A hybrid renewable energy system as a potential energy source for water desalination using reverse osmosis: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 97(C), pages 456-477.
    5. Vakilifard, Negar & A. Bahri, Parisa & Anda, Martin & Ho, Goen, 2019. "An interactive planning model for sustainable urban water and energy supply," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 235(C), pages 332-345.
    6. Mentis, Dimitrios & Karalis, George & Zervos, Arthouros & Howells, Mark & Taliotis, Constantinos & Bazilian, Morgan & Rogner, Holger, 2016. "Desalination using renewable energy sources on the arid islands of South Aegean Sea," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 94(C), pages 262-272.
    7. Pinto, F. Silva & Marques, R. Cunha, 2017. "Desalination projects economic feasibility: A standardization of cost determinants," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 904-915.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. 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).
    2. Ekaterina Sokolova & Khashayar Sadeghi & Seyed Hadi Ghazaie & Dario Barsi & Francesca Satta & Pietro Zunino, 2022. "Feasibility of Hybrid Desalination Plants Coupled with Small Gas Turbine CHP Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-13, May.
    3. Michael Castro & Myron Alcanzare & Eugene Esparcia & Joey Ocon, 2020. "A Comparative Techno-Economic Analysis of Different Desalination Technologies in Off-Grid Islands," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-25, May.
    4. Muna Hindiyeh & Aiman Albatayneh & Rashed Altarawneh & Mustafa Jaradat & Murad Al-Omary & Qasem Abdelal & Tarek Tayara & Osama Khalil & Adel Juaidi & Ramez Abdallah & Partick Dutournié & Mejdi Jeguiri, 2021. "Sea Level Rise Mitigation by Global Sea Water Desalination Using Renewable-Energy-Powered Plants," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-21, August.
    5. Rafał Figaj & Maciej Żołądek & Maksymilian Homa & Anna Pałac, 2022. "A Novel Hybrid Polygeneration System Based on Biomass, Wind and Solar Energy for Micro-Scale Isolated Communities," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(17), pages 1-33, August.
    6. Nicolás Velázquez-Limón & Ricardo López-Zavala & Luis Hernández-Callejo & Jesús A. Aguilar-Jiménez & Sara Ojeda-Benítez & Juan Ríos-Arriola, 2020. "Study of a Hybrid Solar Absorption-Cooling and Flash-Desalination System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-18, August.
    7. Ariana M. Pietrasanta & Mostafa F. Shaaban & Pio A. Aguirre & Sergio F. Mussati & Mohamed A. Hamouda, 2023. "Simulation and Optimization of Renewable Energy-Powered Desalination: A Bibliometric Analysis and Highlights of Recent Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-28, June.
    8. Mukelabai, Mulako Dean & Wijayantha, Upul K.G. & Blanchard, Richard E., 2022. "Renewable hydrogen economy outlook in Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    9. Karbassi, Veis & Trotter, Philipp A. & Walther, Grit, 2023. "Diversifying the African energy system: Economic versus equitable allocation of renewable electricity and e-fuel production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 350(C).

    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. Esmaeil Ahmadi & Benjamin McLellan & Behnam Mohammadi-Ivatloo & Tetsuo Tezuka, 2020. "The Role of Renewable Energy Resources in Sustainability of Water Desalination as a Potential Fresh-Water Source: An Updated Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(13), pages 1-31, June.
    2. Esmaeil Ahmadi & Benjamin McLellan & Seiichi Ogata & Behnam Mohammadi-Ivatloo & Tetsuo Tezuka, 2020. "An Integrated Planning Framework for Sustainable Water and Energy Supply," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-37, May.
    3. de Oliveira, Glauber Cardoso & Bertone, Edoardo & Stewart, Rodney A., 2022. "Optimisation modelling tools and solving techniques for integrated precinct-scale energy–water system planning," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 318(C).
    4. de Oliveira, Glauber Cardoso & Bertone, Edoardo & Stewart, Rodney A., 2022. "Challenges, opportunities, and strategies for undertaking integrated precinct-scale energy–water system planning," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    5. Mito, Mohamed T. & Ma, Xianghong & Albuflasa, Hanan & Davies, Philip A., 2019. "Reverse osmosis (RO) membrane desalination driven by wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) energy: State of the art and challenges for large-scale implementation," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 669-685.
    6. 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).
    7. Giudici, Federico & Castelletti, Andrea & Garofalo, Elisabetta & Giuliani, Matteo & Maier, Holger R., 2019. "Dynamic, multi-objective optimal design and operation of water-energy systems for small, off-grid islands," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 250(C), pages 605-616.
    8. Cabrera, Pedro & Carta, José A. & Matos, Carlos & Rosales-Asensio, Enrique & Lund, Henrik, 2024. "Reduced desalination carbon footprint on islands with weak electricity grids. The case of Gran Canaria," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 358(C).
    9. Ahmadi, Esmaeil & McLellan, Benjamin & Tezuka, Tetsuo, 2020. "The economic synergies of modelling the renewable energy-water nexus towards sustainability," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 1347-1366.
    10. Hussein M. Maghrabie & Abdul Ghani Olabi & Ahmed Rezk & Ali Radwan & Abdul Hai Alami & Mohammad Ali Abdelkareem, 2023. "Energy Storage for Water Desalination Systems Based on Renewable Energy Resources," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-34, March.
    11. Elsir, Mohamed & Al-Sumaiti, Ameena Saad & El Moursi, Mohamed Shawky & Al-Awami, Ali Taleb, 2023. "Coordinating the day-ahead operation scheduling for demand response and water desalination plants in smart grid," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 335(C).
    12. Roham Torabi & Álvaro Gomes & F. Morgado-Dias, 2021. "Energy Transition on Islands with the Presence of Electric Vehicles: A Case Study for Porto Santo," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-24, June.
    13. Pombo, Daniel Vázquez & Martinez-Rico, Jon & Spataru, Sergiu V. & Bindner, Henrik W. & Sørensen, Poul E., 2023. "Decarbonizing energy islands with flexibility-enabling planning: The case of Santiago, Cape Verde," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 176(C).
    14. Alessandro Corsini & Eileen Tortora, 2018. "Sea-Water Desalination for Load Levelling of Gen-Sets in Small Off-Grid Islands," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(8), pages 1-18, August.
    15. Ariana M. Pietrasanta & Mostafa F. Shaaban & Pio A. Aguirre & Sergio F. Mussati & Mohamed A. Hamouda, 2023. "Simulation and Optimization of Renewable Energy-Powered Desalination: A Bibliometric Analysis and Highlights of Recent Research," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-28, June.
    16. Østergaard, P.A. & Lund, H. & Thellufsen, J.Z. & Sorknæs, P. & Mathiesen, B.V., 2022. "Review and validation of EnergyPLAN," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 168(C).
    17. Hendra Hendra & Dhimas Satria & Hernadewita Hernadewita & Yozerizal Yozerizal & Frengki Hardian & Ahmed M. Galal, 2023. "Performance of Generator Translation and Rotation on Stroke Length Drive of the Two-Rod Mechanism in Renewable Energy Power Plant," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-14, March.
    18. Calise, Francesco & Cipollina, Andrea & Dentice d’Accadia, Massimo & Piacentino, Antonio, 2014. "A novel renewable polygeneration system for a small Mediterranean volcanic island for the combined production of energy and water: Dynamic simulation and economic assessment," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 675-693.
    19. Rahman, Syed Masiur & Khondaker, A.N., 2012. "Mitigation measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance carbon capture and storage in Saudi Arabia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 2446-2460.
    20. Skroufouta, S. & Baltas, E., 2021. "Investigation of hybrid renewable energy system (HRES) for covering energy and water needs on the Island of Karpathos in Aegean Sea," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C), pages 141-150.

    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:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:24:p:4651-:d:295377. 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: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    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.