A Brief Review on Cogeneration of Energy and Water with Integration of Solar Photovoltaics to Single-Basin Solar Stills

Energy and water are the key impetus for humankind to survive in this modern era. First and foremost, availability of water in the habitat is seen as an asset. In this way water plays an important role in assessing one’s place. Nowadays, the non-existence of freshwater is a vigorous scenario in many parts of the world. This is due to development towards modern civilisation; in particular, the need for a place for concrete structures leads to afforestation and induces abnormal life cycles in nature. Water is required for almost all practices followed on a daily basis by humans, so there is a necessity to generate freshwater. Further energy generation through sustainable technologies is the need of the hour for the nation towards its growth. Therefore, the union of solar photovoltaics (PV) in solar stills is seen as the best viable solution, and is presented in this review. Supplementing solar stills with solar PV improves its thermal performance and overall productivity. Common methodologies utilised in the cogeneration system of solar stills and solar PV is the application of thermal energy and electrical energy derived from solar PV collector systems. In assessing all the studies, an average enhancement of freshwater yield by preheating of feed, direct heat absorption using a PV collector and evaporation of air using thermal energy absorption are seen as 37.38%, 43.6% and 46% respectively. Moreover, it is perceived that the average enhancement of freshwater yield by using electrical energy for operating heating elements such as heaters, thermoelectric generators etc., rotating elements such as blowers, wicks, drums etc., and circulation devices such as pumps are seen as 34.23%, 50.18% and 35% respectively. Among all the approaches, devices used to enhance the evaporation of air in the still enhances the productivity of the still when compared with other methodologies adopted.