Conference "Desalination with pumping and demand management: an opportunity for the future of Andalusia"

Date: June 12, 2023.

Location: Graduation Hall of the Higher Technical School of Engineering, ETSi

Time: 12:30 pm.

Global warming is progressively altering the climate. In particular, in our region, Andalusia, a reduction in rainfall and more frequent and prolonged droughts are predicted. This will jeopardize Andalusia's economic and social system.

Renewable energies are very cheap, although they are not manageable like fossil fuels, which we are going to phase out. This means that renewable energy supply and electricity demand will not coincide, thus requiring more expensive, manageable energy sources to balance supply and demand.

These will come primarily from energy storage systems, such as batteries and pumped storage, which will be charged with cheap electricity when there is a surplus. This is already beginning to happen in the MIBEL (Iberian Electricity Market) and will become more frequent and widespread in the coming years.

On the other hand, cheap desalinated water can be obtained through the combination of: the scale effect; high utilization of desalination plants; low photovoltaic costs; and a suitable topography for pumping near the coast and inter-basin transfers.

This is what we could call "Pumped Desalination." Andalusia possesses the natural conditions, as well as extensive experience and advanced technological capacity in desalination. This should allow it to have an annual quota of safe water at a good price, making it more resilient to droughts and more prosperous during periods when water reserves are adequate for the population.

The lecture will be given by Antonio de Lara Cruz and is organized by the Royal Sevillian Academy of Sciences and the Endesa Chair of the University of Seville .