Combined solar power and desalination plants for the Mediterranean region — sustainable energy supply using large-scale solar thermal power plants

The paper gives a review of concentrating solar power technologies and shows their perspectives for sustainable development and climate protection. New concepts for the combined generation of power and water are presented together with instruments for enhanced project assessment using remote sensing technologies and geographic information systems. The vast solar energy resources of the South can be activated by international renewable energy alliances and allow for a smooth transition of the present electricity schemes to a sustainable power system based on renewable energy sources.

Combined solar power and desalination plants apply the principle of co-generation to achieve the best possible technical and economic efficiency of solar energy conversion. They deliver two key products for economic development, that is power and water, both at a reasonable and also sustainable cost. In terms of environmental impact, they produce much less pollution and greenhouse gas emissions than equivalent fossil fuel fired systems. The rather simple technology involved, the vast resources in terms of solar energy and land, and the potential of solar electricity exports to Europe, gives the countries of the Southern Mediterranean a unique perspective for clean development and industrialization in the 21st century.