Carlos Matos Sánchez, ULPGC, presents his PhD thesis, linked with the projects IDIWATER and INERTIA

The thesis is entitled “Strategies in Desalination to Increase Renewable Energy Penetration and Contribute to Climate Change Mitigation. Case Study: Lanzarote”.

Last October, the PhD thesis defense of Carlos Matos Sánchez, researcher of the Renewable Energy Research Group (GRRES) within the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria (ULPGC), took place at the School of Industrial and Civil Engineering (EIIC). The thesis, titled “Strategies in Desalination to Increase Renewable Energy Penetration and Contribute to Climate Change Mitigation. Case Study: Lanzarote”, examines the role of desalination as a key component for the energy transition in island territories and its potential for effective integration into renewable-based energy systems. The PhD was supervised by Dr. Pedro Cabrera and Dr. José Antonio Carta. The committe members was composed by Prof. Dr. Nicolás Marichal, Dr. Sergio Velázquez and Dr. Deivis Ávila.

The thesis was developed within the framework of the INERTIA project, funded by MCIN/AEI/10.13039/501100011033/ERDF-EU. In addition, it was co-funded by ERDF-EU through the INTERREG MAC 2021–2027 programme, within the IDIWATER project (1/MAC/1/1.1/0022). Both projects are integrated into the DESAL+ Living Lab platform (www.desalinationlab.com). Furthermore, this research was made possible thanks to a predoctoral training contract under the ULPGC Research Staff Training Programme (FPI).

The work directly contributes to the objectives of both projects, particularly regarding optimization strategies, energy storage, and the analysis of the water–energy nexus.

The study examines multiple hybrid energy configurations for the island of Lanzarote, incorporating technologies such as wind and solar power, battery storage, hydrogen systems, flywheels, and advanced converters. Using simulation tools like HOMER and multi-objective optimization methods, the thesis evaluates key performance indicators including LCOE, excess electricity, CO₂ emissions, and renewable penetration levels.
The findings offer valuable insights for energy planning in island regions, highlighting the relevance of flexible desalination as a mechanism to increase renewable integration while reducing fossil fuel dependence. They also reinforce the strategic importance of initiatives such as IDIWATER and INERTIA in developing sustainable solutions for territories facing limited water and energy resources.