Reducing Carbon Footprint of Desalination: The Australian Experience

Abstract

One of the Funding Objectives of The National Centre of Excellence in Desalination Australia (NCEDA) is “researching ways of efficiently and affordably reducing the carbon footprint of desalination facilities and technologies”. A number of NCEDA’s 50 research projects have focussed on separating salt from water using renewable or waste heat energy sources. These include the Tjuntjuntjara project to demonstrate solar membrane distillation of hypersaline groundwater in a community in the Great Victoria Desert which is a novel boosted multi-effect distillation pilot plant using waste low grade industrial heat; and a solar-powered capacitive deionisation pilot plant desalinating brackish water in remote areas of the north of Australia. Another project is investigating the use of geothermal energy from deep brackish groundwater for desalination. NCEDA has also formed a relationship with Sundrop Farms, a new company in South Australia that has developed a commercially successful pilot greenhouse using solar powered seawater desalination in semi-desert near Port Augusta.

Massive desalination occurs every day in nature. Using renewable energy or waste heat from industrial processes to drive desalination makes sense, but is expensive. Ongoing research to reduce the unit cost of collecting and using these forms of energy will be the key to widespread adoption.