Integrating desalination in renewable energy communities: a study on Ventotene island

The technical and economic feasibility of a Renewable Energy Community (REC) of Ventotene, a non-connected small island in the Mediterranean area is presented in this work. RECs are a new model for energy sharing and the technical and environmental limitations on a small island require strong integration among members and other stakeholders to derive synergies among different vectors. The integration of the REC and the island desalinator is discussed, to store the excess of renewable energy in the form of desalinated water, shifting wintertime production to meet summertime consumption. The dynamic electric load of the members was acquired from quarter-hour meters and used to simulate the performance of the REC digital twin. Optimal sizing of the photovoltaic systems and the best coupling strategy with the desalinator operations were tested on the model. Results demonstrate that a customized strategy can boost synergies between the REC and desalinator, significantly improving their economic and environmental performance.