Design and Analysis of a Renewable Energy-Based Hybrid SWRO Desalinator: Case Study in the Atlantic Coast of Morocco

Water represents 71% of Earth’s composition, of which only 3% is fresh water. The remaining 97% is pure saltwater that cannot be used for domestic purposes. One way to exploit this saline water is to remove salt particles and impurities from it to obtain fresh water ready for use, a process technically known as desalination. This paper presents the engineering study of a seawater desalination system that uses reverse osmosis as a primary salt removal technology. The proposed system is powered by an off-grid renewable energy-based hybrid system that involves solar photovoltaic (PV) panels equipped with a sun tracker to maximize the panel’s input. Additionally, the energy system includes a wind turbine (WT) that harnesses the abundant wind energy in coastal areas and a battery to store the energy excess.A physical analysis of the system and a techno-economic study are highlighted in this paper.