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KEYS TO SUCCESSFUL RENEWABLE DESALINATION PROJECTS ON ISLANDS :

Marc VERGNET,

CEO

June 2015,

Martinique

Financing, unlocking land and permits

PRESENTATION OVERVIEW

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o Islands specificity

o RE Desalination technology

o Unlocking land

o Permits

o Financing

ISLANDS SPECIFITY

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Islands are often characterized by :

o A limited resource in fresh water, abundant seawater and brackish water

o Restricted quantities of land available

o High costs of electricity (0,2 to 0,4€ /kWh)

o Unsteady electrical grid with frequent selective power cut

o Restricted logistics and technical on-site expertise

o A difficulty to face the purchase of gasoil on a long-term basis

TECHNOLOGIES AVAILABLE

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STAND-ALONEHence, to enable controlled freshwater production, only stand-alone systems should be considered

MATURE AND COST EFFECTIVEDifferent combinations are possible : CSP-MED, Wind-RO,,…

Today, only PV-RO matches to islands context :

• SOLAR PHOTOVOLTAICS : competitive price of panels, irradiation data available, easy maintenance,…

• REVERSE OSMOSIS : the lowest energy consumption technology

PV- RO with battery:

24 hours without battery:

8 hours

Stand-alone PV-RO systems

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24 hours system

8 hours system

SOLAR PV

DC

AC

BATTERY

SPECIFIC SOLAR FLEXIBLE RO

CONVENTIONNAL RO

AC constant frequency

AC variable frequency

DC

AC

SOLAR PV

8 HOURS TECHNOLOGY : OSMOSUN

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8 HOURS TECHNOLOGY : OSMOSUN

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UNLOCKING LAND

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PV Capacity

(kWp)

PV surface footprint

(m²)

PV panels –RO system * Battery

PV-RO 24

250 3250 2 container 20 ’’

2 container 20’’

(1300kWh)

PV-RO 8 200 2600 2 container 20’’ 0* Intake, brine discharge and pretreatments are not included

Ground surface required:PV-RO 24:

13 m2/m3/day

PV-RO 8:

10 m2/m3/day

A 250 m3/day PV-RO system :

UNLOCKING LAND

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A special care to seashore constructions : in many countries new constructions on seashore are not possible.

POSSIBILITIES to reduce footprint:

On roof or on shaders

New ground surface required :

PV-RO 24:

6,5 m2/m3/day

PV-RO 8:

5 m2/m3/day

PERMITS and REGULATION

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Permits and regulation are complex, abundant and sometimes abrogating projects.

The two main points to be considered are:

• Seawater intake, that can end a project when technical and environmental requirements are making the costs of the project too high.

• Brine discharge, that also may have a major impact on total costs

MITIGATING THE IMPACTS

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BEACH WELL

Reduced infrastructure

Improved feed-in seawater quality

LOW SALINITY BRINE

OSMOSUN produces brine with 45g/l water instead of 90g/l for conventionnal desalination systems

Small size projects

(<1000m3/day) give the

opportunity to reduce the

impact on the environment

ECONOMY of a PROJECT

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ECONOMY : RE vs Diesel

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o Higher initial investment for RE power generator

BUT

o Independence of the islands from Fuel supply and high operation costs

SECURITY on Energy costs for 20 years.

OSMOSUN Conventional

OSMOSUN vs Conventional Plant

Total Cost of Ownership

Power

OPEX

CAPEX

FINANCE and OPERATION MODE

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o The dynamic of private companies is more opportune to support and develop innovating RE desalination projects, in the frame of Public-Private Partnership with :

o DBOOT or equivalent PPP scheme

o Communities will find with PPP a possible better capacity of financing and in the management of the technics of the plant.

RE DESALINATION BLOCKERS

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o The real status is:

o RE desalination technology was not mature

o The habits and the inertia towards change

o The ability to operate and maintain this new technology (training, remoteness, technical skills)

o The Regulations and institutional frame (non-adapted)

CONCLUSION

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o Technology of RE Desalination are now “dans nos mains”

o The only way to go over the blockers is to make it true, doing pilot projects

Adapted to challenging contexts

Cost-effective

Low-environmental impact

Guaranteed on long-term – O&M