Arid regions of Morocco face severe water scarcity due to low rainfall, overexploited aquifers and climate impacts. Desalination—especially RO—has become key, but its high electricity demand (up to 40–60% of total OPEX) limits sustainability. This work provides an operational evaluation of a full-scale RO plant (Zagora) and proposes an energy-optimization framework adapted to tariff-based scheduling.
The Zagora RO plant shows highly predictable energy–production behavior, enabling robust optimization. By aligning production with low-tariff periods and using existing storage capacity, the plant reduces energy cost by 35% and saves ≈126,000 USD annually. This provides a low-cost, scalable strategy for improving desalination sustainability in Moroccan arid regions.