Enabling Reliable Freshwater Supply: A Review of Fuel Cell and Battery Hybridization for Solar- and Wind-Powered Desalination

The global water crisis, intensified by climate change and population growth, underscores the critical need for sustainable water production. Desalination is a pivotal solution, but its energy-intensive nature demands a transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources. However, the inherent intermittency of solar and wind power poses a fundamental challenge to the stable operation of desalination plants. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of a specifically tailored solution: hybrid energy storage systems (HESS) that synergistically combine batteries and hydrogen fuel cells (FC). Moving beyond a general description of hybridization, this study delves into the strategic complementarity of this pairing, where the high-power density and rapid response of lithium-ion batteries manage short-term fluctuations, while the high-energy density and steady output of fuel cells ensure long-duration, stable baseload power. This operational synergy is crucial for maintaining consistent pressure in processes like reverse osmosis (RO), thereby reducing membrane stress and improving system uptime. A central focus of this review is the critical role of advanced energy management systems (EMS). We synthesize findings on how intelligent control strategies, from fuzzy logic to metaheuristic optimization algorithms, are essential for managing the power split between components. These sophisticated EMS strategies do not merely ensure reliability, they actively optimize the system to minimize hydrogen consumption, reduce operational costs, and extend the lifespan of the hybrid energy storage components. The analysis confirms that a lithium-ion battery-fuel cell HESS, governed by an advanced EMS, effectively mitigates renewable intermittency to significantly enhance freshwater yield and overall system reliability. By integrating component-specific hybridization with smart control, this review establishes a framework for researchers and engineers to achieve significant levels of energy efficiency, economic viability, and sustainability in renewable-powered desalination.