Experimental and Numerical Analysis of a PCM-Supported ...
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of a PCM-Supported ...
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of a PCM-Supported ...
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<strong>and</strong> the total system cost [70]. As a matter <strong>of</strong> fact, it could easily be understood that<br />
the cost <strong>of</strong> water produced from desalination systems using a conventional source <strong>of</strong><br />
energy, (gas, oil, electricity) is much lower than that obtained by RE sources. Table<br />
(1.2) presents a comparison between water cost for those technologies which use a<br />
conventional source <strong>of</strong> energy <strong>and</strong> those powered by renewable energy sources.<br />
The specific water cost from RE-desalination depending on the used technologies,<br />
plant capacity, salinity <strong>of</strong> feed water, <strong>and</strong> other site specific factors such as l<strong>and</strong> cost<br />
<strong>and</strong> time availability <strong>of</strong> renewable energy <strong>and</strong> its intensity.<br />
Table 1.2: Type <strong>of</strong> renewable energy supply system <strong>and</strong> specific<br />
water cost [74]<br />
For brackish water <strong>and</strong> conventional source <strong>of</strong> energy, the cost ranges between 0.21<br />
€/m 3 <strong>and</strong> 1.06 €/m 3 when very small units are used. Similarly, seawater desalination<br />
cost varies between 0.35 €/m 3 <strong>and</strong> 2.7 €/m 3 <strong>and</strong> only when the desalination unit is<br />
very small (2–3 m 3 daily production) the cost can increase to approximately 5.50<br />
€/m 3 [74].<br />
1.3.5 Barriers <strong>and</strong> limitations <strong>of</strong> RE-desalination<br />
Several technical, institutional, economic <strong>and</strong> social barriers, which hinder the<br />
widespread application <strong>of</strong> RE-D, are discussed extensively by ProDes project [75]. In<br />
summary, the high water production cost for RE-D, as a main barrier, is attributed<br />
(but not limited) to the following reasons [75]:<br />
<br />
<br />
There is no development <strong>of</strong> complete optimized RE-D as a single system but<br />
only as separate component parts.<br />
Current desalination technology has been designed requiring a constant<br />
energy supply, whilst most RE systems provide a variable energy supply due<br />
to their transient nature. This results in increased specific capital <strong>and</strong><br />
maintenance costs<br />
8