Abstract: For desalinating saline water, a solar energy collector plant comprising parabolic trough collectors is used as a heat generator. With the generated heat, a heat engine is driven by steam, wherein the heat engine drives a generator to generate electricity. The residual steam of the heat engine is used to heat a distillation device in which a first partial flow of the saline water is distilled. A second partial flow of the saline water is fed to a reverse osmosis device that is supplied with the electricity of the generator to generate pressure. After both partial flows are desalinated or partially desalinated, the two partial flows are mixed in a mixing device which thereby produces drinking water.