Wind Energy Powered Desalination Systems

Abstract

Although the energy sources used in desalination process have traditionally been fossil fuel based, today there is a growing worldwide trend for the use of renewable energy sources, particularly solar and wind energy. This is especially true of countries where potable water is scarce but where the available renewable energy sources can be used, among other purposes, to reduce desalinated water production costs and contribute to protecting the environment. The operating systems and strategies proposed for water desalination are numerous and highly diverse. This chapter describes these systems and strategies, which are classified in three basic options: a) the integration of desalination technologies and wind energy generation systems in the corresponding conventional power distribution grids, b) the use of stand-alone micro-grids where the desalination plants are connected directly to the wind energy generation systems, and c) the use of hybrid wind-diesel energy systems to power the desalination technologies. A description is also given in this chapter of the pros and cons (related to the particular characteristics of the unpredictable and fluctuating nature of renewable energy-generated power) that need to be taken into consideration when choosing the most appropriate basic option. Finally, future trends of these systems are described.