Objective
To combat water scarcity and desertification, intensive desalination activities have been carried out in remote arid regions. However, desalting is resources and energy intensive, which are limited and expensive. Thus, water production must be increased while keeping the consumption of resources affordable. For remote arid areas, de-centralised solutions for energy and water co-production offer advantages over large central production sites. Finally, skilled personnel is normally absent in such areas, what demands dependable systems. To implement all this, a highly qualified consortium complemented by experienced subcontracting companies was established.
This project offers a solution to cost optimal co-production of energy and water using renewable energy besides diesel generators. Cost optimisation is achieved through a high level of automation, which is necessary to adapt the working conditions to the strongly varying renewable energy supply, and remote maintenance. The approach is based on thorough modelling of the processes and offers a large degree of flexibility in the design to meet different production requirements. The project's work packages are so organised that high teamwork with less management effort is possible. The later transfer from R& TD to the manufacturers will lead to new products with increased benefits. Companies will reduce cost due to an optimal engineering design.
They can also offer better maintenance services based on higher reliability and remote monitoring. European countries will become more familiar with the MPC regional demands. This shall lead to a decisive advantage in the international market with a better access for their products to MPC and MENA countries. The new product shall also improve the quality of life in the affected regions and MPC will obtain a better access to European R&TD; their personnel of water authorities and power suppliers shall obtain an added qualification for engineering services.
Fields of science
Not validated
Not validated
- natural sciencesearth and related environmental sciencesatmospheric sciencesmeteorology
- engineering and technologychemical engineeringseparation technologiesdesalinationreverse osmosis
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectrical engineeringpower engineeringelectric power generationcombined heat and power
- social sciencessociologyindustrial relationsautomation
- engineering and technologyenvironmental engineeringenergy and fuelsrenewable energywind power
Topic(s)
Call for proposal
FP6-2004-INCO-MPC-3
See other projects for this call
Funding Scheme
STREP - Specific Targeted Research ProjectCoordinator
HEIDELBERG
Germany