A multicriteria analysis method as decision-making tool for sustainable desalination: The asinara island case study

The use of renewable sources is definitely an important solution to replace or to integrate the energy supply from fossil sources, that applies notably to desalination plants. The selection about the technology to use and the energy source to resort depends at first on a technical analysis (is it possible?) and then on an economical evaluation (is it worthwhile?). As alternative choice to the mere techno-economical comparison among different plant layouts the implementation of a multi criteria analysis is proposed in order to encompass a wide range of aspects of the relevant categories (technical, environmental, social etc.) and to develop a more general approach. The method has been applied to the Asinara Island, whose area is subject to peculiar environmentally protective restrictions, due to the presence of the Asinara national park and the preservation of an historical and cultural heritage, apart from water scarcity. In such a background the need for multi criteria methods to analyse a project is conspicuous. The procedure to take into account aspects that are difficult to quantify otherwise is described and applied, pinpointing strengths and drawbacks.