What energy source do you recommend for the desalination of seawater?

Question

It is very clear that as our population increases we will run short of fresh water.

One way to get fresh water is to desalinate seawater. That is something that is done on a large scale in the Middle East.

What source of energy do you recommend for the desalination of seawater and why do you recommend it?

Answer 1

Solar as well.  Most likely you're going to be desalinating water that's in a desert (like the Middle East) or otherwise not near any other power source.

Answer 2

solar

Answer 3

This is a perfect job for a nuclear power plant.

The power plant can be located on the coast. A nuclear power plant needs a large source of water for cooling anyhow.

The waste heat from the power plant can be used to distill seawater. The resulting freshwater can then be piped or hauled by truck or rail to the location where it is needed.

.

The cost should be very low. The major cost will be transportation or the pipeline to get the water to where you need it.

Answer 4

Hi

I think you did not understand: SOLAR AS DIRECT RADIATION !!! Not as PV+resistance to heat or PV+electrolysis.

Concentrated solar power can produce temperatures of 1000°C... so the 100°C for the water distillation is no proble.

If you reduce the pressure of the water down to 0.1 bar you can even evaporate water at 50°C !!! So I recommend using a bit of mechanical energy.

This kind of application would be the perfect one to be bundled with a Kalina cycle where a cold end removes the heat to condensate the water while the heat is transported to the "hot end" contributing to the evaporation.

Answer 5

Sunlight, because in most places where desalination is genuinely needed, as opposed to it being a way of topping up wasted fresh water, it would be readily available.