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.
Highlights
Water is vital to life, society and the economy
This review aims to give an overview of the role of renewable energy technologies in the sustainability of future water systems with an increasing share of desalination
The share of desalination in the fresh-water supply is increasing around the world
Summary
Water is vital to life, society and the economy. A study in 2016 [1] found that around 4 billion of the global population are facing moderate to severe water scarcity, about 66% of which live under conditions of severe water scarcity for at least one month during a year. Predicted that under average economic growth without improvement in efficiency, global freshwater demand could reach 40 percent above the current demand by 2030. The current pace of efficiency improvement is globally too slow to meet future demand. Authors [3] estimated that by considering the ongoing improvements in water efficiency, only 20 percent of the supply–demand gap would be closed. This study seeks to identify the state-of-art of desalination-based water provision, considered from a wide variety of perspectives beyond just the techno-economic analysis. It aims to identify the promising advantages of desalination technologies, in connection with the energy–water nexus, and to clarify the identified disadvantages as shown through a critical review of recent studies
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
