Solar-Powered Advances in Water Desalination: A Comprehensive Review of Recent Research

Solar energy, with its vast availability and sustainability, offers diverse applications such as electricity generation, water heating, vehicle power, and support for industrial activities. However, solar energy adoption rates vary across countries due to factors such as geographical location, solar resources, policy frameworks, energy infrastructure, and market conditions. Meanwhile, freshwater scarcity is becoming a global concern. Solar water desalination, a sustainable technology utilizing solar energy to remove salt from seawater and presents a potential solution. This review paper comprehensively assesses various solar water desalination methods, primarily focusing on energy conversion efficiencies and associated costs. Solar stills, though simple and affordable, demonstrate relatively low efficiencies ranging from 30 to 50%, making them suitable for small-scale or remote applications. Conversely, solar-powered Reverse Osmosis (RO) systems exhibit lower efficiencies of approximately 6 to 10% but come with variable costs ranging from $0.5 to $4 per cubic meter (m3). Solar-powered Multi-Effect Distillation (MED) and Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) systems boast higher thermal efficiencies, ranging from 30 to 70% and 30 to 50%, respectively, but may entail higher initial investment costs. This study highlights the trade-offs between efficiency and cost, offering valuable insights for decision-makers and stakeholders in implementing solar water desalination projects.