Economics, environmental foot print and sustainability of community scale solar desalination plant in water scarce Somalia coastal regions

Clean water supply in low-income countries can be improved by utilizing affordable renewable energy-powered desalination technologies. In this research work, viability of community scale solar desalination plant (at least 3.0 m³/d capacity) capable of addressing the daily fresh water demands of hundred families in twenty three coastal locations of Somalia has been investigated through year-round simulations. The required desalination plant size and investment is heavily dependent on solar radiation potential of the site. The potable water production cost ranges between 8.66 to 9.48 USD/m³, and is lower than the nonreliable conventional water supply cost in eighteen Somalia coastal locations. Moreover, the desalination plant can sooth at least 2.5 to 13.6-kilo tons of CO₂ emission, 6.0 to 33.3-tons of SO₂ emission and, 2.30 to 12.6-tons of NO_X emission during its 5.0 to 25.0 years operation period. The sustainability index and finance payback time of community scale solar desalination plant is about 1.08, and 4.0 to 13.0 years, respectively. The economics and environmental foot print results indicate feasibility and potential application of community scale solar desalination plant in water starved Somalia coastal locations.