Work

Comparative sustainability assessment of hybrid desalination systems for freshwater production

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: Water scarcity is one of the most critical global challenges, with nearly 4 billion people affected by acute water shortages. Desalination has emerged as a key solution to meet the growing demand for freshwater, especially in arid regions. However, standalone conventional desalination technologies such as multi-stage flash (MSF) and reverse osmosis (RO) face challenges in terms of high energy consumption, low water recovery rates in some cases, and certain environmental impacts. Hybrid desalination systems, which combine multiple technologies, offer a promising alternative to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and minimize environmental harm. This study conducts a comprehensive sustainability assessment of seven different hybrid desalination configurations with double-stage RO as the control. The analysis focuses on key indicators of sustainability, including energy efficiency, water recovery, environmental impacts, and social acceptance of the produced freshwater. The results reveal that the RO system, when combined with multi-effect distillation (MED), had a global sustainability index (GSI) of 83%, which is the most sustainable configuration, outperforming RO-RO (GSI of 75%). In contrast, the MSF-RO system ranks the lowest with a GSI of 24%, due to its high energy consumption and carbon emissions. The study highlights the potential of hybrid systems, particularly RO-MED, to address water scarcity more sustainably. Future research should explore integrating renewable energy sources into hybrid systems to further reduce environmental impacts. This research provides valuable insights for the development and implementation of more sustainable desalination technologies, supporting policymakers and industry stakeholders in enhancing water security globally.

Source: Energy Nexus

DOI: 10.1016/j.nexus.2025.100440

Authors: Nadira Salsabila, Asifa Anwar, Haya Talib Shubbar, M. Imran Khan, Tareq Al-Ansari, Yusuf Bicer

Institutions: Hamad bin Khalifa University, Qatar Foundation, Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University

Language: English

Topic: Membrane Separation Technologies

Subfield: Water Science and Technology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Climate action, Clean water and sanitation, Affordable and clean energy, Responsible consumption and production

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $2,200