Affordable, Low-Carbon Solar Freshwater

Focusing on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) region, DESOLINATION will test and deploy its prototype at King Saud University in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Leveraging high solar resources and significant demand for desalinated water, the prototype aims to deliver renewable electricity at low costs (<€90/MWh) and affordable freshwater (<€0.9/m3). Additionally, the system will substantially reduce CO2 emissions compared to traditional desalination methods: 30% reduction compared to direct osmosis systems, 40% compared to reverse osmosis, and 70% compared to thermal desalination.

DESOLINATION will innovate in various domains. On the solar power front, CO2 blends will drive more efficient and cost-effective power cycles with controllable parameters. In water desalination, direct osmosis will be developed and linked to membrane distillation, utilising waste heat from the power cycle to produce freshwater. This unique combination will enable the disruptive coupled system to achieve high efficiency in converting waste heat to freshwater.

Throughout the project, EU and GCC countries will collaborate to deliver a high-level technological demonstrator. DESOLINATION brings together some of the world’s leading experts in concentrated solar power, CO2 energy cycle design, desalination processes, separation membranes, and system integration to meet the project’s objectives and ensure strong market uptake post-completion. The project includes 19 partners from 9 EU countries and 3 GCC countries, comprising 13 top universities and research centres and 6 industrial and SME partners.