Electrical power generation and utilization in advanced desalination systems

Thirugnanasambantham Arunkumar, Higgins Marangattil Wilson, Tushar Prashant Pandit and Sang Joon Lee

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2025, vol. 210, issue C

Abstract: Seawater desalination can be a viable solution to global fresh water scarcity. Recent innovations integrating electricity have shown to enhance efficiency and functionality in advanced desalination systems by leveraging salinity gradients and thermoelectric effects to generate electricity, while applying input electric current to improve desalination performance via Joule heating. This review highlights the role of electricity in recent advanced desalination technologies, emphasizing its impact on freshwater production and renewable energy generation. Electricity-driven systems, incorporating solar thermal and low-voltage electrothermal evaporation, ensure stable operation under varying environmental conditions. Input electricity boosts thermal efficiency, overcomes the limitations of inconsistent sunlight, and increases evaporation rates. Simultaneously, electricity-generating systems harness salinity gradients, thermoelectric conversion, and nanostructured materials to cogenerate electricity and freshwater simultaneously. This generated power sufficient to run small electronic devices offers practical solutions in remote or resource-limited areas. This dual functionality — enhancing desalination performance and generating electricity — addresses both water scarcity and energy needs. By examining the recent advancements in materials, system designs, and the water-energy nexus, this review explores the potential of integrated desalination systems for scalable and sustainable applications.

Keywords: Solar desalination; Freshwater production; Electric power generation; Sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2024.115211

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