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Combined solar power and desalination plants: technico-economic potential in Mediterranean Partner countries

Final Report Summary - MED-CSD (Combined solar power and desalination plants: technico-economic potential in Mediterranean partner countries)

The MED-CSD project has aimed to carry out feasibility studies of combined concentrated solar power and desalination plants in five countries (Cyprus, Egypt, Italian Islands, Morocco, and Palestinian National Authority). In the first place, a complete review of technology options has been elaborated and a comprehensive methodology to carry out the feasibility study has been developed. In parallel, an assessment of water demand and deficit as well as of electricity demand has been conducted for each country. Derived from these assessments, markets potential scenarios for CSP desalination and generation have been performed. Finally, the socio-economic impact of a broad dissemination of the CSP water desalination has been carried out.

The project's results give information to decision makers for the establishment of a favourable framework for the deployment of concentrated solar power and desalination plants through the techno-economic analyses of potential projects conducted. The main results and conclusions of the feasibility studies are synthesized in the action plan (Deliverable 4.2) of the project. This action plan contains also recommendations for a large scale deployment of the MED-CSD concept.

Finally, a high level final conference took place in Rabat, Morocco, on 18 and 19 May 2010. It was attended by high level representatives such as the Minister of Energy and Mines of Morocco, the Deputy Head of Delegation of the EU in Rabat, the General Director of ONEP/ONE, the President of MASEN (Moroccan Agency for Solar Energy, in charge of the Moroccan Solar Plan) and many others (the list of participants is available upon request, more than 120 participants). The event was also widely covered by the media (TV, radio and press).

It is important to underline that a workshop was organised jointly with ONEP at the occasion of the final conference, and aimed to give participants both the basics of CSP and desalination technologies (and on-going projects) and an overview of renewable energy in the Southern and Eastern Mediterranean region. This initiative was not scheduled within the MED-CSD project, but upon request of ONEP, partners of the consortium agreed that such event is important and would also bring added value and visibility to the project and its outcomes.

The MED-CSD project results reinforce the past results of recent studies as AQUA-CSP, (MED-CSP and others), that is to say a sustainable solution to the threatening water crisis in the Mediterranean region, and describe a way to achieve a balanced, affordable and secure water supply structure for the next generation.

The summary of results of each work package is done in the pdf attached.