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DEmonstration of concentrated SOLar power coupled wIth advaNced desAlinaTion system in the gulf regION.

Project description

Sustainable desalination from concentrated solar power

Generating sustainable sources of power and fresh water is a challenge. Desalination plants are energy-consuming and have a high environmental impact. The EU-funded project DESOLINATION will develop an innovative desalination system coupling concentrated solar power (CSP) and forward osmosis, for a simultaneous production of green electricity and low-impact fresh water. Focusing on the Gulf Cooperation Council region, the project will test the developed technology for one year at the existing CSP plant of King Saud University in Riyadh. The desalination technology will first be coupled with an existing solar air Brayton cycle and then to a new power block operating with CO2 blends with a net power output of around 1.7 MW.

Objective

The DESOLINATION project aims to couple efficiently the low grade wasted heat of two different CSP cycles to an innovative desalination system based on forward osmosis. Indeed, the demonstration in Saudi Arabia already hosts a 100kWe air Bryton cycle that will be coupled with the innovative forward osmosis desalination system developed in DESOLINATION. Moreover, to take into account the future and most efficient cycles, a 1MWe CO2 blends power cycle will be installed on site and demonstrated alongside the existing power plant. More than 2300 hours of testing are planed on site to assess the CSP and desalination technologies and optimise their efficiencies. DESOLINATION will thus provide solutions to be integrated in existing CSP plants across the region as well as an innovative more efficient coupling with a tailored made power cycle for more efficient and cost effective new CSP plants based on CO2 blends. Gathering 10 EU research centres or academic profiles, 6 EU companies with a deep knowledge of the market, and 4 academic partners from the GCC countries, DESOLINATION offers a balanced and high international level consortium, with excellent research capacities and a strong market uptake potential. DESOLINATION indeed aims to have market competitive solutions showing the potential for high wasted-heat-to-freshwater conversion efficiency as well as high CSP power efficiency (>42% at 550C) leading to an LCOE below 90/MWh and LCOW below 0.9/m3 when scaled-up at 100MW scale. The reduction of CO2 emissions per cubic meter of water desalinated would be up to 70% compared to existing desalination systems. Moreover, brine rejection being a key environmental issue, DESOLINATION will also focus on developing solutions to decrease brine rejection by up to 80%. Through the developments of the CSP+D system and its demonstration in a real environment, DESOLINATION will foster the use of solar energy for desalination in the EU, in the GCC countries, and the rest of the world.

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Keywords

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Programme(s)

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Topic(s)

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Funding Scheme

Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.

IA - Innovation action

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Call for proposal

Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.

(opens in new window) H2020-LC-SC3-2018-2019-2020

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Coordinator

POLITECNICO DI MILANO
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 1 579 312,50
Address
PIAZZA LEONARDO DA VINCI 32
20133 Milano
Italy

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Region
Nord-Ovest Lombardia Milano
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 1 579 312,50

Participants (21)

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