Wave Energy for Resilient Water Supply in Coastal Communities

This white paper examines the use of wave energy for desalination in coastal communities, focusing on enhancing resilience by providing a sustainable source of drinking water during disruptions (intersection of energy and water). Coastal areas, particularly remote ones, face significant challenges in accessing clean water due to reliance on traditional sources threatened by natural disasters and inadequate infrastructure. Current desalination methods are energy-intensive and often dependent on fossil fuels, exacerbating vulnerabilities.

The paper identifies a near-term opportunity to integrate wave energy conversion technologies with desalination processes, enabling communities to establish wave-powered desalination plants independent of traditional energy sources. Sandia National Laboratories has developed a simulation framework that couples the Wave Energy Converter SIMulator (WEC-Sim) with the Water Network Tool for Resilience (WNTR) to assess the feasibility and impact of wave-powered desalination. A preliminary case study in Puerto Rico demonstrates that larger wave energy converter arrays correlate with improved water service availability, addressing critical community needs.

Success measures include quantitative metrics such as the volume of desalinated water produced and improvements in water service during disruptions, alongside qualitative assessments of community resilience and stakeholder feedback. Overall, wave-powered desalination presents a promising solution for enhancing water supply resilience in coastal communities while fostering sustainable energy solutions.