In case of Cyprus, there is special interest for desalination plants. RES technologies or hybrid systems could be implemented for water desalination and help solving the acute water scarcity problems.

Lack of water is one of the main problems to deal with in Cyprus. Sea water desalination is one way of getting fresh water. The use of desalination plants requires energy (thermal or electric). Renewable energy can be used. The best suited energy source is wind or solar. The integration of both wind energy or solar applications and desalination plants can have some advantages in terms of higher penetration levels and lower water production costs.

Desalination of sea water was first introduced in Cyprus on a large scale basis, on the 1st of April 1997 with the operation of the 20 000 m3/day Dhekelia plant. Due to the prevailing water crisis situation the plant was immediately expanded to 40000 m3/day. This plant provides water to the cities of Larnaca and Nicosia and the coastal tourist areas of Ayia Napa and Paralimni. The plant operates on a Build, Own, Operate, Transfer (BOOT) basis and the desalinated water is presently sold to the Government, at source, at a varying unit price which is about of £0,54/m3. A new desalination plant, of 51 660 m3/day nominal capacity, is now being built next to the Larnaca airport. This too, will be a BOOT type plant and is scheduled to start operation late next December. The cost of the water from this plant will be only £0,43/ m3. However, the present tragic water situation demands the construction of additional desalination plants. Thus, the Government has invited tenders for the construction of a floating desalination unit at the coast of Moni. Its capacity will be 20 000 m3/day and is expected to start operation by the beginning of next year. In addition the Government has decided to call for tenders for another desalination plant of 10 00030 000 m3/day capacity at Paralimni. Its location is pending. It is expected to start operation in two to three years. All the aforementioned plants are reverse osmosis type. The only distillation plant, of 40 000 m3/day capacity, has been proposed by the Electricity Authority of Cyprus (EAC) to be built next to its power generating plant at Vasilikos. It will use the by-product of heat produced in the process of generating electricity. This proposal is attractive because the unit cost of the water to be produced at source is expected to be only £0,32/m3.