Techno-economic analysis of low impact solar brackish water desalination system in the Brazilian Semiarid region

摘要

In remote communities of the Brazilian semiarid, water obtained from groundwater wells is brackish and usually non-potable. Solar photovoltaic reverse osmosis (PVRO) system has been proposed as a viable alternative to produce clean water for isolated communities in different areas around the world. This paper presents the techno-economic feasibility of using small-scale PVRO systems in Brazilian semiarid communities. Detailed design model and economic analysis are provided to assess PVRO system performance. The results of the techno-economic analysis are integrated into a Geographical Information System (GIS) to provide maps of potential water production, levelized water cost, and energy consumption based on available brackish water salinity and solar input data. The model predicts that a 10 m(3)/day proposed system capacity can produce water at a levelized cost ranging from 1.44 to 1.65 US$/m(3). This is enough to sustain the basic water needs of 250 people for 2 days. Moreover, land required for the solar PV panels ranges from 26 to 33 m(2). The outcomes of this research integrated with the GIS maps are a powerful tool to demonstrate the techno-economic feasibility to implement this system for remote communities in the Brazilian semiarid. (c) 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.