Renewable energy sources utilized for membrane desalination processes

Desalination has mostly been used to produce drinkable water due to the rapid increase in water scarcity. On the other hand, desalination processes require more energy than that of conventional water treatment methods. To decrease the consumption of fossil fuel and the cost of freshwater production, renewable energy sources (RESs) to power the desalination processes have been introduced. The RES used in desalination has a broad spectrum from photovoltaics, concentrated solar power, and wind energy to integrated RESs. In this chapter, desalination processes that are powered by RESs are discussed. Also, new generations of RESs in membrane desalination systems are introduced.