Journal of Advanced Research

Journal of Advanced Research

Volume 48, June 2023, Pages 125-156
Journal of Advanced Research

Review
Recent progress in renewable energy based-desalination in the Middle East and North Africa MENA region

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jare.2022.08.016Get rights and content
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open access

Highlights

  • Availability of RES in the MENA region was summarized.

  • Suitable renewable energy storage systems in MENA was introduced.

  • Desalination plants powered by RES in MENA were investigated.

  • Al-khafji solar seawater RO plant in KSA was discussed.

Abstract

Background

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries are rapidly growing in population with very limited access to freshwater resources. To overcome this challenge, seawater desalination is proposed as an effective solution, as most MENA countries have easy access to saline water. However, desalination processes have massive demand for energy, which is mostly met by fossil fuel-driven power plants. The rapid technological advancements in renewable energy technologies, along with their gradually decreasing cost place renewable energy-driven power plants and processes as a promising alternative to conventional fuel-powered plants.

Aim of Review

In the current work, renewable energy-powered desalination in the MENA region is investigated. Various desalination technologies and renewable energy resources, particularly those available in MENA are discussed. A detailed discussion of suitable energy storage technologies for incorporation into renewable energy desalination systems is also included.

Key Scientific Concepts of Review

The progress made in implementing renewable energy into power desalination plants in MENA countries is summarized and analyzed by describing the overall trend and giving recommendations for the potential amalgamation of available renewable energies (REs) and available desalination technologies. Finally, a case study in the MENA region, the Al Khafji solar seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia KSA, is used to demonstrate the implementation of REs to drive desalination processes.

Keywords

Water desalination in MENA
Renewable energy resources
Solar energy
Wind energy
Geothermal energy
Energy storage

Abbreviations

AD
Adsorption desalination
AGMD
Air Gap Membrane Distillation
BW
Brackish water
BWES
Buoyancy Work Energy Storage
BWRO
Brackish Water Reverse Osmosis
CAES
Compressed Air Energy Storage
CDI
Capacitive Deionization
CdTe
Cadmium Telluride
CES
Chemical Energy Storage
COE
Cost of Electricity
CPV
Concentrated Photovoltaics
CSP
Concentrated Solar Power
DAF
Dissolved Air Flotation
DCMD
Direct Contact Membrane Distillation
DNI
Direct Normal Irradiance
ED
Electrodialysis
EES
Electrical Energy Storage
ERD’s
Energy Recovery Devices
Exp
Experimental
FC
Fuel Cell
FD
Freeze Desalination
FO
Forward Osmosis
GHG
Greenhouse Gas
GHI
Global Horizontal Irradiance
GHP
Gas Hydrate Processes
GOR
Gain Output Ratio
HAWT
Horizontal Axis Wind Turbine
HDH
Humidification Dehumidification
HP
High Pressure
HRES
Hybrid Renewable Energy Systems
HTF
Heat Transfer Fluid
IDA
International Desalination Association
INRST
National Institute for Scientific Research
IPHRO
Integrated Pumped Hydro Reverse Osmosis
IRENA
International Renewable Energy Agency
KACST
King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology
LCE
Levelized Cost of Energy
LCOE
Levelized cost of electricity
LCOW
Levelized Cost of Water
LCZ
Lower Convection Zone
LF
Linear Fresnel
LP
Low Pressure
LT
Low Temperature
MD
Membrane distillation
MED
Multi-Effect Distillation
MEDAD
Multi-Effect Distillation Adsorption Desalination
MENA
The Middle East & North Africa
MES
Mechanical Energy Storage
MSF
Multi-Stage Flash
MVC
Mechanical Vapor Compression
OTEC
Ocean-Thermal Energy Conversion
PCM
Phase Change Material
PEMFC
Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell
PHS
Pumped Hydro Storage
PRO
Pressure Retarded Osmosis
PTC
Parabolic Trough Collector
RED
Reverse Electrodialysis
RO
Reverse Osmosis
SEC
Specific Energy Consumption
SGE
Salinity Gradient Energy
SGSP
Salinity Gradient Solar Pond
SW
Seawater
SWCC
Saline Water Conversion Corporation
SWRO
Seawater reverse osmosis
TAEC
Tunisian Atomic Energy Commission
TES
Thermal Energy Storage
Theo
Theoretical
TVC
Thermal Vapor Compression
UCZ
Upper Convection Zone
UF
Ultra-Filtration
VAWT
Vertical Axis Wind Turbines
VMD
Vacuum Membrane Distillation

Cited by (0)

Dr. Enas is associate professor at chemical engineering department, Minia university, Egypt. She got her PhD in bio-electrochemical systems from chemical and environmental engineering department, Gunma university, Gunma, Japan. Dr. Enas’ research focuses on the fabrication of high conductive, high surface area, and biocompatible electrodes of the MFCs for simultaneous wastewater treatment and electricity generation. Also she is working on the development and application of graphene in wastewater treatment and water desalination. Dr Enas published around 100 manuscripts in ISI indexed journals Dr Enas successfully secured two national and internal grants with more than 600,000 USD. Dr Enas has already supervised several master and PhD students some of them already graduated and others not yet. Dr Enas is Editor in Scientific reports (Nature).

Mohammad Abdelkareem got his PhD from Japan in 2008. Right now, he is professor in sustainable and renewable energy engineering department, university of Sharjah, UAE. He is working on the development of the different renewable energy resources and devices that can be used in wastewater treatment and water desalination. Moreover, He is working on the development of the electrodes for the different electrochemical energy conversion/storage devices, such as direct methanol fuel cells, direct urea fuel cells, microbial fuel cells, and supercapacitors. Professor Mohammad published more than 200 manuscripts in ISI indexed journals. He secured several research funds with more than 800,000 USD. He is editor in International journal of thermofluids and journal of carbon resources and conversion.

Dr. Khaled Elsaid has about 20 years of combined research and academic teaching experience that he gained by working for different research and academic institutions. Dr. Khaled Elsaid has a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Waterloo and has been working for Texas A&M University in Qatar for more than 15 years. Dr. Elsaid's research focuses on the chemical and physical processes of water treatment, with more focus on the desalination process in general, and membrane desalination in particular studying their efficiencies and environmental impacts. Due to the strong conjunct between water and energy, hence the water-energy nexus, the research interest has driven toward the utilization of renewable energies as clean energy sources to drive different desalination processes. The current work focuses on the optimum mapping of different desalination processes to different renewable energy hence maximizing efficiency and minimizing environmental impacts, including carbon footprint. Dr Khaled published more than 50 manuscripts in ISI indexed journals

Muaz Al Radi is a Graduate Research and Teaching Assistant (GRTA) at Khalifa University and a M.Sc. in Electrical and Computer Engineering student at Khalifa University. He received his B.Sc. degree in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering from the University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE, with a rating of Highest Honors and a cumulative GPA of 3.97/4.00, being ranked as the department's No. 1. His research is focused on Renewable energy, Desalination, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Robotics. He has several publications that are related to the renewable energy and desalination.

Rashid Alqadi holds a bachelor’s degree in Sustainable and Renewable Energy Engineering from the University of Sharjah, Sharjah, UAE, with a cumulative GPA of 3.40/4.00. His research interests include Renewable Energy, Desalination, Nanofluids, and energy efficiency. He is currently working in the field of sustainability and energy efficiency in the building sector.

Prof Olabi is the Director of Sustainable Energy and Power Systems Research Centre at the University of Sharjah “UoS”. Previously, he was Head of Department, Director of research institute, and many other academic and industrial position. He has supervised postgraduate research students (38 PhD) to successful completion. He has patented 2 innovative projects on PEM Fuel Call. He is the Subject Editor of the Elsevier Energy Journal, EiC of the Encyclopedia of Smart Materials (Elsevier), Editor of the Reference Module of Materials Science and Engineering (Elsevier), EiC of Renewable Energy section of Energies and board member of few other journals. Professor Olabi published more than 350 manuscripts in ISI indexed journals

Peer review under responsibility of Cairo University.

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