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Where is the power coming from? Desalination can only be as efficient and sustainable as the power source. It's not surprising if Israel can build massive desal
by aphextron 10y ago
Where is the power coming from? Desalination can only be as efficient and sustainable as the power source. It's not surprising if Israel can build massive desalination plants dependent on cheap fossil fuel power.
This is just trading water now for more CO2 added to the atmosphere, worsening the underlying problem.
- Alphasite_ 10y agoSolar is now significantly more economical than it once was and in the long term would be rather appropriate for these regions.
- pstuart 10y agojinx! you owe me a glass of water.
- pstuart 10y agoSeems like solar power would be a perfect fit.
- unchocked 10y agoPhotovoltaics, in the long run.
- drewm1980 10y agoThis story is hopeful but also worrying... I am so glad I am not living in a region where my drinking water depends completely on non-renewables. I hope energy hogs like desalination can be used as a buffer to reduce storage needs... I.e. build over capacity and run them when energy is plentiful.
- avita1 10y agoOf the three plants mentioned in the article, it looks like at least the smallest (Ashkelon) is powered by natural gas. http://www.delek-group.com/Holdings/EnergyInfrastructure/DelekInfrastructure.aspx http://www.delek-group.com/Holdings/EnergyInfrastructure/Del...
- Spooky23 10y agoOil, coal and natural gas. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_Israel https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_in_Israel
- ChuckMcM 10y agoSort of, and sort of not. A nice summary of different techniques from 2010 is here: http://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/environment/eight-technologies-for-drinkable-seawater http://spectrum.ieee.org/energy/environment/eight-technologi...