Renewable energies powering seawater desalination in Morocco

Several reasons including fast-paced development, global warming, unsustainable water use, and many others have prompted many areas around the world to experience water shortages. But with salt water accounting for approximately 97.5% of total water on Earth and its availability in almost every country, desalination has emerged as the go-to solution. This comes with some associated issues, namely, significant energy requirements. These are largely satisfied by fossil fuels, which are becoming increasingly scarce and contribute to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and, therefore, global warming. Thanks to renewables, desalination plants could be able to sustainably overcome such shortages, particularly in Morocco. This is attributable to the country’s favorable meteorological conditions for solar and wind plants, and to the large amount of land available for hydroelectric plants. This paper discusses the main benefits associated with the use of renewables in seawater desalination plants. Notably, the contribution to increase the share of renewables in the energy mix and to reduce GHG emissions. Moreover, it reviews certain obstacles encountered, including costs and grid stability issues, which could be complex and costly to overcome. The paper also highlights the necessity of adopting AI, IoT, and waste management technologies to further optimize processes.