Tri-objective optimization of a synergistic wind-photovoltaic plant for water desalination addressing sustainable development goals

Abstract

The sixth goal of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) announced by the United Nations addresses water and sanitation; its first target is providing safe and affordable drinking water. Water desalination is introduced as a viable alternative considering the present situation of the water resources and their consumption and pollution. However, desalination processes' high energy intensity conflicts with energy and climate-related SDGs. Correspondingly, the first target of SGD 6 can be translated to an affordable, eco-friendly, and reliable water desalination. However, these objectives are conflicting considering the current status of desalination. Accordingly, this article proposes a novel multi-objective model by quantifying the interweaved sustainable development goals for water desalination. To this end, a tri-objective mixed-integer linear model is developed to compromise the abovementioned goals, that is, water production cost, supply reliability, and carbon emission. The proposed water desalination system is fed by a combined wind-photovoltaic-diesel system, employs power and water storage, and seeks a trade-off solution based on the planner's preferences. The model is flexible in terms of the degree of achievement of each goal. A detailed analysis is performed, enabling the decision-maker to comprehend the goals interlinkage based on the degree of achievements and deterioration concerning the other goals. 2022 ERP Environment and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.