IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v13y2020i9p2261-d353831.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

A Comparative Techno-Economic Analysis of Different Desalination Technologies in Off-Grid Islands

Author

Listed:
  • Michael Castro

    (Laboratory of Electrochemical Engineering (LEE), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman, Diliman 1101, Philippines)

  • Myron Alcanzare

    (Laboratory of Electrochemical Engineering (LEE), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman, Diliman 1101, Philippines)

  • Eugene Esparcia

    (Laboratory of Electrochemical Engineering (LEE), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman, Diliman 1101, Philippines)

  • Joey Ocon

    (Laboratory of Electrochemical Engineering (LEE), Department of Chemical Engineering, University of the Philippines Diliman, Diliman 1101, Philippines)

Abstract

Freshwater in off-grid islands is sourced from rain, groundwater, or mainland imports, which are unreliable, limited, and expensive, respectively. Sustainable freshwater generation from desalination of abundant seawater is another alternative worth exploring. Model-based techno-economic simulations have focused on reverse osmosis desalination due to its low energy consumption and decreasing costs. However, reverse osmosis requires frequent and costly membrane replacement. Other desalination technologies have advantages such as less stringent feedwater requirements, but detailed studies are yet to be done. In this work, a techno-economic comparison of multi-effect distillation, multi-stage flash, mechanical vapor compression, and reverse osmosis coupled with solar photovoltaic-lithium ion-diesel hybrid system was performed by comparing power flows to study the interaction between energy and desalination components. Optimization with projected costs were then performed to investigate future trends. Lastly, we used stochastic generation and demand profiles to infer uncertainties in energy and desalination unit sizing. Reverse osmosis is favorable due to low energy and water costs, as well as possible compatibility with renewable energy systems. Multi-effect distillation and multi-stage flash may also be advantageous for low-risk applications due to system robustness.

Suggested Citation

  • 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.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:13:y:2020:i:9:p:2261-:d:353831
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/9/2261/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/13/9/2261/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bertheau, Paul & Blechinger, Philipp, 2018. "Resilient solar energy island supply to support SDG7 on the Philippines: Techno-economic optimized electrification strategy for small islands," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 54(C), pages 55-77.
    2. Elsayed, Mohamed L. & Mesalhy, Osama & Mohammed, Ramy H. & Chow, Louis C., 2019. "Transient and thermo-economic analysis of MED-MVC desalination system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 167(C), pages 283-296.
    3. Williams, Eric & Hittinger, Eric & Carvalho, Rexon & Williams, Ryan, 2017. "Wind power costs expected to decrease due to technological progress," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 106(C), pages 427-435.
    4. Aya Tafech & Dia Milani & Ali Abbas, 2016. "Water Storage Instead of Energy Storage for Desalination Powered by Renewable Energy—King Island Case Study," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(10), pages 1-17, October.
    5. 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.
    6. O. Schmidt & A. Hawkes & A. Gambhir & I. Staffell, 2017. "The future cost of electrical energy storage based on experience rates," Nature Energy, Nature, vol. 2(8), pages 1-8, August.
    7. Guillermo Fernández-Gil & Fontina Petrakopoulou, 2019. "Sustainable Water Generation on a Mediterranean Island in Greece," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(22), pages 1-17, November.
    8. Hongwen He & Rui Xiong & Jinxin Fan, 2011. "Evaluation of Lithium-Ion Battery Equivalent Circuit Models for State of Charge Estimation by an Experimental Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 4(4), pages 1-17, March.
    9. 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.
    10. Griffin, Ronald C. & Chang, Chan, 1991. "Seasonality In Community Water Demand," Western Journal of Agricultural Economics, Western Agricultural Economics Association, vol. 16(2), pages 1-11, December.
    11. S. Holding & D. M. Allen & S. Foster & A. Hsieh & I. Larocque & J. Klassen & S. C. Van Pelt, 2016. "Groundwater vulnerability on small islands," Nature Climate Change, Nature, vol. 6(12), pages 1100-1103, December.
    12. Bajpai, Prabodh & Dash, Vaishalee, 2012. "Hybrid renewable energy systems for power generation in stand-alone applications: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(5), pages 2926-2939.
    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. Pascasio, Jethro Daniel A. & Esparcia, Eugene A. & Castro, Michael T. & Ocon, Joey D., 2021. "Comparative assessment of solar photovoltaic-wind hybrid energy systems: A case for Philippine off-grid islands," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 179(C), pages 1589-1607.
    2. María Magdalena Armendáriz-Ontiveros & Germán Eduardo Dévora-Isiordia & Jorge Rodríguez-López & Reyna Guadalupe Sánchez-Duarte & Jesús Álvarez-Sánchez & Yedidia Villegas-Peralta & María del Rosario Ma, 2022. "Effect of Temperature on Energy Consumption and Polarization in Reverse Osmosis Desalination Using a Spray-Cooled Photovoltaic System," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(20), pages 1-15, October.
    3. Mingwei Yan & Yuetao Shi, 2020. "Thermal and Economic Analysis of Multi-Effect Concentration System by Utilizing Waste Heat of Flue Gas for Magnesium Desulfurization Wastewater," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-20, October.
    4. 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.
    5. Castro, Michael T. & Pascasio, Jethro Daniel A. & Delina, Laurence L. & Balite, Paul Heherson M. & Ocon, Joey D., 2022. "Techno-economic and financial analyses of hybrid renewable energy system microgrids in 634 Philippine off-grid islands: Policy implications on public subsidies and private investments," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    6. Zhao, Pan & Gou, Feifei & Xu, Wenpan & Wang, Jiangfeng & Dai, Yiping, 2022. "Multi-objective optimization of a renewable power supply system with underwater compressed air energy storage for seawater reverse osmosis under two different operation schemes," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 71-90.
    7. Zein, Adnan & Karaki, Sami & Al-Hindi, Mahmoud, 2023. "Analysis of variable reverse osmosis operation powered by solar energy," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 208(C), pages 385-398.
    8. 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.
    9. Xaviery N. Penisa & Michael T. Castro & Jethro Daniel A. Pascasio & Eugene A. Esparcia & Oliver Schmidt & Joey D. Ocon, 2020. "Projecting the Price of Lithium-Ion NMC Battery Packs Using a Multifactor Learning Curve Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(20), pages 1-18, October.
    10. Yee Van Fan & Zorka Novak Pintarič & Jiří Jaromír Klemeš, 2020. "Emerging Tools for Energy System Design Increasing Economic and Environmental Sustainability," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-25, August.
    11. 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.
    12. Gulagi, Ashish & Alcanzare, Myron & Bogdanov, Dmitrii & Esparcia, Eugene & Ocon, Joey & Breyer, Christian, 2021. "Transition pathway towards 100% renewable energy across the sectors of power, heat, transport, and desalination for the Philippines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    13. Zhao, Pan & Xu, Wenpan & Liu, Aijie & Wu, Wenze & Wang, Jiangfeng & Yan, Zhequan, 2022. "Performance evaluation of a renewable driven standalone combined power and water supply system with cascade electricity and heat storage," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 199(C), pages 1283-1299.

    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. 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.
    2. James Hamilton & Michael Negnevitsky & Xiaolin Wang & Evgenii Semshchikov, 2020. "The Role of Low-Load Diesel in Improved Renewable Hosting Capacity within Isolated Power Systems," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-15, August.
    3. Roberto Gomes Cavalcante Júnior & Marcos Aurélio Vasconcelos Freitas & Neilton Fidelis da Silva & Franklin Rocha de Azevedo Filho, 2019. "Sustainable Groundwater Exploitation Aiming at the Reduction of Water Vulnerability in the Brazilian Semi-Arid Region," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(5), pages 1-20, March.
    4. Olivia Francesca B. Agua & Robert Joseph A. Basilio & Mc Erschad D. Pabillan & Michael T. Castro & Philipp Blechinger & Joey D. Ocon, 2020. "Decentralized versus Clustered Microgrids: An Energy Systems Study for Reliable Off-Grid Electrification of Small Islands," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(17), pages 1-22, August.
    5. Thomassen, Gwenny & Van Passel, Steven & Dewulf, Jo, 2020. "A review on learning effects in prospective technology assessment," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 130(C).
    6. Ranjit R. Desai & Eric Hittinger & Eric Williams, 2022. "Interaction of Consumer Heterogeneity and Technological Progress in the US Electric Vehicle Market," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(13), pages 1-25, June.
    7. Jabir Ali Ouassou & Julian Straus & Marte Fodstad & Gunhild Reigstad & Ove Wolfgang, 2021. "Applying endogenous learning models in energy system optimization," Papers 2106.06373, arXiv.org.
    8. Gulagi, Ashish & Ram, Manish & Solomon, A.A. & Khan, Musharof & Breyer, Christian, 2020. "Current energy policies and possible transition scenarios adopting renewable energy: A case study for Bangladesh," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 899-920.
    9. Jabir Ali Ouassou & Julian Straus & Marte Fodstad & Gunhild Reigstad & Ove Wolfgang, 2021. "Applying Endogenous Learning Models in Energy System Optimization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-21, August.
    10. Wu, Xifeng & Xu, Yuechao & Lou, Yuting & Chen, Yu, 2018. "Low carbon transition in a distributed energy system regulated by localized energy markets," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 474-485.
    11. Gunther Glenk & Rebecca Meier & Stefan Reichelstein, 2021. "Cost Dynamics of Clean Energy Technologies," Schmalenbach Journal of Business Research, Springer, vol. 73(2), pages 179-206, June.
    12. Gulagi, Ashish & Alcanzare, Myron & Bogdanov, Dmitrii & Esparcia, Eugene & Ocon, Joey & Breyer, Christian, 2021. "Transition pathway towards 100% renewable energy across the sectors of power, heat, transport, and desalination for the Philippines," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 144(C).
    13. Bertheau, Paul & Cader, Catherina, 2019. "Electricity sector planning for the Philippine islands: Considering centralized and decentralized supply options," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 251(C), pages 1-1.
    14. Beretta, Gian Paolo & Iora, Paolo & Ghoniem, Ahmed F., 2014. "Allocating resources and products in multi-hybrid multi-cogeneration: What fractions of heat and power are renewable in hybrid fossil-solar CHP?," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 78(C), pages 587-603.
    15. Jurasz, Jakub & Beluco, Alexandre & Canales, Fausto A., 2018. "The impact of complementarity on power supply reliability of small scale hybrid energy systems," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 737-743.
    16. Shehzar Shahzad Sheikh & Mahnoor Anjum & Muhammad Abdullah Khan & Syed Ali Hassan & Hassan Abdullah Khalid & Adel Gastli & Lazhar Ben-Brahim, 2020. "A Battery Health Monitoring Method Using Machine Learning: A Data-Driven Approach," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(14), pages 1-16, July.
    17. Oyewo, Ayobami Solomon & Solomon, A.A. & Bogdanov, Dmitrii & Aghahosseini, Arman & Mensah, Theophilus Nii Odai & Ram, Manish & Breyer, Christian, 2021. "Just transition towards defossilised energy systems for developing economies: A case study of Ethiopia," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 346-365.
    18. Alexandros Nikolian & Yousef Firouz & Rahul Gopalakrishnan & Jean-Marc Timmermans & Noshin Omar & Peter Van den Bossche & Joeri Van Mierlo, 2016. "Lithium Ion Batteries—Development of Advanced Electrical Equivalent Circuit Models for Nickel Manganese Cobalt Lithium-Ion," Energies, MDPI, vol. 9(5), pages 1-23, May.
    19. Sandra Castano-Solis & Daniel Serrano-Jimenez & Lucia Gauchia & Javier Sanz, 2017. "The Influence of BMSs on the Characterization and Modeling of Series and Parallel Li-Ion Packs," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(3), pages 1-13, February.
    20. DeLovato, Nicolas & Sundarnath, Kavin & Cvijovic, Lazar & Kota, Krishna & Kuravi, Sarada, 2019. "A review of heat recovery applications for solar and geothermal power plants," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 1-1.

    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:13:y:2020:i:9:p:2261-:d:353831. 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.