Economic Feasibility of Solar-Powered Reverse Osmosis Water Desalination: A Comparative Systemic Review

Abstract

Abstract Due to disparities in the allocation of rainwater and drought, extreme exploitation of groundwater reservoirs has depleted water supplies in many locations. In addition, improper disposal of domestic and industrial waste leads to poor drainage and deterioration of water quality. According to studies, desalination methods are an effective solution for treating sea and brackish water and making it usable in daily life. Solar-powered desalination has recently received a great deal of attention around the world. Previously, most experimental studies focused on the use of solar energy in traditional desalination methods such as multistage flash and multi-effect distillation. Desalination with reverse osmosis has become popular due membrane technology improvement and benefits like high recovery ratios and low energy consumption. This article aims to comparatively and systematically review the economic feasibility of the use of solar photovoltaic reverse osmosis in desalination in Morocco and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.