Integration of water desalination systems on electrical microgrids for remote coastal communities

Abstract

Remote coastal communities in developing countries face significant challenges for access to both electricity and freshwater. Water desalination systems emerge as a potential solution to provide freshwater, however their high energy requirements have been one of the main limitations for the deployment of such systems. Electrical microgrids are a decentralised alternative which can provide access to electricity for these communities. The impact of the integration of the water desalination systems to these electrical microgrids must be explored, to extend the auxiliary services that can be provided by a microgrid. This work seeks to analyse, by using numerical simulations, the design, integration and management of an electrical microgrid, where a part of its energy demand will be used by a desalination system.