Recent progress in wind energy-powered desalination

In many regions with scarce freshwater resources, desalination systems emerge as an effective option for covering the high demand for domestic and industrial uses. However, an important shortcoming in the application of desalination systems is their huge energy demand which is usually met with the use of fossil fuel-driven power plants. A promising alternative for powering such systems is the use of renewable energies as these technologies have improved significantly in the last years. One of the most attractive options that are widely utilized throughout the world is wind power. It offers multiple advantages such as low environmental impact and low operational cost; thus, it is considered an excellent alternative to conventional resources. Several studies were conducted to examine the application of wind energy to power the different types of desalination systems, such as RO “reverse osmosis”, MSF “multi-stage flash”, and MVC “mechanical vapor compression”. The current study presents a review of the progress made in wind energy-driven water desalination. Moreover, the application of hybrid energy systems involving wind energy for powering water desalination systems is summarized and discussed.