Power-Contributing Components of the Desalination Process
Figure 1 contains the individual areas of a water supply project that contribute to the total energy. The
impact, range, and percentage each of these areas are further illustrated by breaking out each area
individually for discussion purposes.
Because the seawater desalination treatment process is typically associated with being the most energyintensive,
it is a convenient starting point. The remaining areas identified in Figure 1 are discussed below. It
is important to note that the power consumption costs utilized throughout this document are relative to each
treatment process. The sum of the components with respect to the quantity of water produced is also called
specific power9. This paper discusses each of the individual components of the water treatment process
which add up to the total.