The invention provides a desalination system comprising: a controller; a salt water tank operable to receive salt water therein; a solar collector in fluid communication with the salt water tank and adapted to receive salt water therein; a first pump operable to pump salt water from the salt water tank into the solar collector; a photovoltaic (PV) panel operable to convert incident solar energy to electrical energy, and operable to supply electrical energy to the first pump; a water condenser tank in fluid communication with the first pump and arranged to receive water vapour from the solar collector and to condense such received water vapour; and a temperature detector operable to generate a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the solar collector, and to supply such a temperature signal to the controller, wherein the controller is arranged to receive a temperature signal from the temperature detector, and is operable to control the first pump in dependence upon such a received temperature signal, such that the first pump operates to transfer saltwater from the saltwater tank to the solar collector when the temperature signal is indicative of a predetermined temperature.