ABSTRACT
This chapter provides a critical overview of integrated approaches to using renewable energy such as solar and geothermal technologies for water desalination. Different types of governmental policy instruments, such as tax breaks and low-interest loans, can be effective for different renewable energy sources. Large-scale deployment of renewable energy is very dependent on economic and political influences as well as environmental and social factors. An energy storage system such as a solar pond can be employed to run a small- to mid-size desalination plant continuously at constant load. Economic and political factors may influence large-scale deployment of renewable energy. Energy certificates issued under national legislation are normally used to provide evidence of compliance with an obligation on electricity producers, suppliers or consumers to use energy of a specific type or in order to qualify for financial support. Geothermal energy also has unlimited potential in greenhouse desalination technology.
