Solar Desalination for the 21st Century

st The solar desalination workshop for the 21 century was sponsored by NATO program Security Through Science. In a great number of countries water scarcity, coupled with a significant growth in population especially in developing countries, poses the serious problem of supplying fresh water. The countries affected by water scarcity are found in the African, Asian, European and American continents, and also are on the southern and eastern coasts of the Mediterranean Sea. Severe drought usually generates a general malaise in populations which are already affected by a number of social and poverty problems, which often lead to significant and uncontrolled emigration towards richer countries, especially if one takes into account the increasing economic and lifestyle gap between north and south Mediterranean countries. Emigration could be contained if basic life needs were guaranteed to the population in their homelands, particularly potable water supply. Abundant solar energy combined with desalination could provide a sustainable source of potable water, but unfortunately, the optimum configuration for solar desalination that would provide inexpensive fresh water is difficult to reach. Further exhaustive research, field developments, and proper mobilization and coordination of funding, research and development is needed to achieve this goal.

SOLAR DESALINATION: A CHALLENGE FOR SUSTAINABLE FRESH WATER IN THE 21ST CENTURY.- DEVELOPMENT OF SOLAR DESALINATION SYSTEMS CONCEPTS FOR IRRIGATION IN ARID AREAS CONDITIONS.- TECHNO-ECONOMIC EVALUATION OF A SOLAR POWERED WATER DESALINATION PLANT.- DYNAMIC MODELING TOOLS FOR SOLAR POWERED DESALINATION PROCESSES DURING TRANSIENT OPERATIONS.- A METHODOLOGY TO PREDICT OPERATION OF A SOLAR POWERED DESALINATION UNIT.- OPTIMIZING COUPLING SMALL DESALINATION UNITS TO SOLAR COLLECTORS: A CASE STUDY.- USING A SIMULATION PROGRAM TO OPTIMIZE THE OPERATING CONDITIONS OF A SOLAR DESALINATION PLANT FOR MAXIMUM PRODUCTION.- DE-CENTRAL WATER AND POWER SUPPLY INTEGRATING RENEWABLE ENERGY - TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC PERFORMANCE PREDICTION.- MOROCCAN POTENTIALITIES OF RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES FOR WATER DESALINATION.- SOLAR ENERGY UTILISATION OPPORTUNITIES IN BULGARIA.- SOLAR WATER DESALINATION IN THE ARAL SEA REGION.- STATUS AND PROSPECTS FOR SOLAR DESALINATION IN THE MENA REGION.- THE POTENTIAL OF RENEWABLE ENERGIES IN SICILY FOR WATER DESALINATION APPLICATIONS.- THE PSA EXPERIENCE ON SOLAR DESALINATION: TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT AND RESEARCH ACTIVITIES.- A REVIEW OF DESALINATION BY SOLAR STILL.- SOLAR THERMAL DESALINATION USING THE MULTIPLE EFFECT HUMIDIFICATION (MEH)-METHOD.- BEYOND PILOT PROJECTS: THE FEASIBILITY OF IMMEDIATE TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER FROM TRIED AND TESTED MARITIME AND OFFSHORE REVERSE OSMOSIS SYSTEMS TO STATIONARY SOLAR AND WIND POWERED DESALINATION SOLUTIONS.- SOLAR STILLS: 10 YEARS OF PRACTICAL EXPERIENCE IN COMMERCIALISING SOLAR STILLS WORLDWIDE.- SOLAR DRIVEN DESALINATION SYSTEMS BASED ON MEMBRANE DISTILLATION.- POTENTIAL APPLICATION OF SOLAR HEAT COLLECTORS TO AN EASYMED® THERMAL DESALINATION UNIT.- MEMBRANE DESALINATION DRIVEN BY SOLAR ENERGY.- SMALL AUTONOMOUS RODESALINATION SYSTEMS POWERED BY RENEWABLE ENERGIES. TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES AND ECONOMICS.- DESALINATION WITH WIND AND WAVE POWER.- DESALTED WATER FROM A HYBRID RO/MSF PLANT WITHRDF COMBUSTION: MODELLING AND ECONOMICS.- AUTONOMOUS DESALINATION UNITS BASED ON RENEWABLE ENERGY SYSTEMS - A REVIEW OF REPRESENTATIVE INSTALLATIONS WORLDWIDE.- ASSESSMENT OF MOST PROMISING DEVELOPMENTS IN SOLAR DESALINATION.