In an effort to address the growing scarcity of water, specifically in the Mediterranean basins of southeastern Spain, TYPSA has concluded a study, carried out on behalf of the European Investment Bank, on the use of desalination as a sustainable solution to increase water supply to the municipal and agricultural sectors. The study focuses on the Segura Basin and the Andalusian Mediterranean Basins, regions with a deficit water balance and highly vulnerable to climate change.
The study has covered both the evaluation of current and future water resources and balances, and the identification of sustainable solutions through desalination technologies. Included are the analysis of several alternatives such as reuse or improved efficiency, principally using the data available in current basin plans. The contribution to the environmental objectives of different measures, such as the improvement of the quantitative status of groundwater bodies, has also been analysed. In addition, with the collaboration of the Institute of Water and Environmental Engineering of the Polytechnic University of Valencia (IIAMA), socioeconomic analyses have been included, obtaining sectoral supply and demand curves based on aggregated analyses, and in the case of the Segura basin through comprehensive hydroeconomic models, and covering aspects such as payment capacity, willingness to pay of the different users, employment and gross added value.
The study has shown that, although desalination is technically and economically viable, it is especially sensitive to energy prices and carbon emissions. However, in scenarios of climate-induced scarcity, its relevance increases considerably. In addition, agricultural demand is highly sensitive to the price of desalinated water, which is not the case in urban areas.
Thanks to the collaboration of experts in water resources, water policies and economics, desalination, and sustainability, a detailed guide has been developed to evaluate future applications for funding desalination infrastructures, based on the framework of European water policy, EIB standards and sustainable funding principles. In addition, guidelines have been established for the integration of renewable energies into desalination, which enhance their economic viability and long-term sustainability.
This work not only provides a critical view of the possibilities of desalination in Spain, which can be extrapolated to other countries, but also provides a tool for sustainable decision-making, ensuring that future investments in this field generate a positive impact on the beneficiary region and contribute to its long-term economic and environmental well-being.
