Renewable energy-powered membrane systems for water desalination

In this chapter, recent membrane desalination operations integrated with renewable energy are presented and discussed. The main renewable energy sources that have been explored in recent studies are solar and wind energy. Reverse osmosis, membrane distillation, electrodialysis, and forward osmosis are the major desalination technologies that have been considered for integration with these renewable energy sources. Small-scale solar-powered systems are attractive for the production of fresh water in remote locations and rural areas where water and electricity infrastructures are unavailable. Wind energy-powered desalination systems have also been shown to be cost-effective than conventional systems powered by fossil fuels. Membrane desalination systems integrated with solar and wind energy sources have the capacity to produce fresh water through environmentally friendly approaches, and these systems are increasingly being used for water production at competitive costs.