Recent Advances on Geothermal Integrated Water Desalination Techniques and Its Comparison with Other Renewable Resources

The global water crisis impacts 2.2 billion people, necessitating sustainable technologies for producing potable water. Desalination converts brackish or seawater into freshwater, but its high energy demands, traditionally met by fossil fuels, pose environmental challenges. Geothermal energy, derived from Earth’s thermal reservoirs, offers a unique solution as a baseload, renewable energy source, delivering a high-capacity factor that perfectly aligns with the continuous, non-negotiable energy requirements of large-scale desalination plants. Unlike solar and wind, which face intermittency and require costly energy storage to ensure consistent power supply, geothermal energy provides stable, uninterrupted energy, enhancing operational reliability. This review provides a comprehensive overview of advancements in geothermal-based desalination systems, focusing on technological developments, environmental benefits, and economic viability to address freshwater scarcity. It emphasizes low-enthalpy geothermal resources, hybrid renewable systems, and poly generation configurations to improve efficiency, scalability, and sustainability. A comparative analysis with other renewable energy-based desalination systems offers deeper insights into geothermal’s potential.