December 14th, 2015

National Programme for the Improvement of Water Quality in South Tunisia by desalination

On behalf of SONEDE, Tunis, and within the National Programme for the improvement of water quality in Southern Tunisia, GKW Consult has prepared a major feasibility study, with the aim to provide sufficient quantities of drinking water with a salt content lower than 1.5 g/l until 2035.

With the feasibility study it was investigated if desalination plants for the treatment of brackish/salty groundwater can be supplied with renewable sources (wind, solar).

The study has shown that wind power, from an economic point of view, could be a very promising option. In order to cover a part of the energy consumption  required for the operation of the desalination plant in Ben Guerdene (capacity 9,000 m3/d), it was proposed to construct a wind power plant with a capacity of 1.6 MW.

GKW Consult, in cooperation with Lahmeyer International, will carry out investigations and wind measuring campaigns to quantify the potential of wind resources in the project area.

Following services will be executed during the 16 month programme:

  • Delivery and assembly of measuring equipment
  • Evaluation of measured data during 12 months
  • Evaluation of wind resources
  • Environmental impact assessment of the wind power plant
  • Selection of a suitable location for the wind power plant
  • Topography of the areas for reservoirs, pumping stations and evaporation basins