A coupled system is proposed, comprised of a concentrating photovoltaic/thermal collector field and a multi-effect evaporation desalination plant. The combined system produces solar electricity and simultaneously exploits the waste heat of the photovoltaic cells to desalinate water. A detailed simulation was performed to compute the annual production of electricity and water. The cost of desalinated water was estimated and compared to that of alternative conventional and solar desalination plants. Several economic scenarios were analyzed. The results indicate that the proposed coupled plant can have a significant advantage relative to other solar desalination approaches. In some cases, CPVT desalination is even more cost-effective than conventional desalination. (C) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.