4 ms·

Don't fabs require tons of water?

by CameronNemo 5y ago

markdown 5y ago
Barely any compared to an orchard.
- ericbarrett 5y ago
  1.1 gallons (~4 L) per almond.
  - WarOnPrivacy 5y ago
    Could be worse. Could be cows. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2015-04-13/cows-suck-up-more-of-california-s-water-than-almonds https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2015-04-13/cows-s...
    - bcrosby95 5y ago
      Yeah, I've always loved how almonds get a bad deal on the news, but they rarely mention meat.
    - TeeMassive 5y ago
      90% of cattle water consumption comes directly from feed and feed is often made of leftover vegetable matter that would have been wasted otherwise or land that can't be harvested anyway: https://youtu.be/sGG-A80Tl5g?list=FLdQM1Kvo9co3TogR2c-WAPw&t=176 https://youtu.be/sGG-A80Tl5g?list=FLdQM1Kvo9co3TogR2c-WAPw&t...
- CameronNemo 5y ago
  That sounds like a deflection. Besides, orchards can't grow in just any soil. What about fabs? Why is California an ideal location?
  - epistasis 5y ago
    The funny thing is that Silicon Valley was literally built on top of orchards, and in the process created several Superfund sites that have made the soil unsuitable for orchards. And then paved it all over with the awful suburban sprawl of 1970s planning that has created little opportunity for more environmentally friendly non-car-based development, despite being one of the best places in the world to not be in a car and instead be out walking or biking. I can't come to any conclusions, I'm just struck by the irony of it all.
  - aspaceman 5y ago
    Why does California have to be ideal to build a fab? A fab in California seems like one of the most worthwhile public works projects I’ve heard of in awhile.
    - CameronNemo 5y ago
      More worthwhile than an expanded subway system in LA? Or a light rail in San Diego? Or an offshore wind farm? Or desalination plants? Or energy storage for the electric grid?
manigandham 5y ago
CA is next to the ocean with plenty of solar power potential. Fab water can also be recycled with some effort.
- CameronNemo 5y ago
  When we have >90% renewable energy, or maybe lots of peaking solar that goes unused, and desal plants driven by that renewable energy, I will happily support incentivizing chip fabrication. But until then I have other priorities.

Don't fabs require tons of water?

markdown 5y ago

Barely any compared to an orchard.

ericbarrett 5y ago
1.1 gallons (~4 L) per almond.
- WarOnPrivacy 5y ago
  Could be worse. Could be cows. https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2015-04-13/cows-suck-up-more-of-california-s-water-than-almonds https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2015-04-13/cows-s...
  - bcrosby95 5y ago
    Yeah, I've always loved how almonds get a bad deal on the news, but they rarely mention meat.
  - TeeMassive 5y ago
    90% of cattle water consumption comes directly from feed and feed is often made of leftover vegetable matter that would have been wasted otherwise or land that can't be harvested anyway: https://youtu.be/sGG-A80Tl5g?list=FLdQM1Kvo9co3TogR2c-WAPw&t=176 https://youtu.be/sGG-A80Tl5g?list=FLdQM1Kvo9co3TogR2c-WAPw&t...
CameronNemo 5y ago
That sounds like a deflection. Besides, orchards can't grow in just any soil. What about fabs? Why is California an ideal location?
- epistasis 5y ago
  The funny thing is that Silicon Valley was literally built on top of orchards, and in the process created several Superfund sites that have made the soil unsuitable for orchards. And then paved it all over with the awful suburban sprawl of 1970s planning that has created little opportunity for more environmentally friendly non-car-based development, despite being one of the best places in the world to not be in a car and instead be out walking or biking. I can't come to any conclusions, I'm just struck by the irony of it all.
- aspaceman 5y ago
  Why does California have to be ideal to build a fab? A fab in California seems like one of the most worthwhile public works projects I’ve heard of in awhile.
  - CameronNemo 5y ago
    More worthwhile than an expanded subway system in LA? Or a light rail in San Diego? Or an offshore wind farm? Or desalination plants? Or energy storage for the electric grid?

manigandham 5y ago

CA is next to the ocean with plenty of solar power potential. Fab water can also be recycled with some effort.

CameronNemo 5y ago
When we have >90% renewable energy, or maybe lots of peaking solar that goes unused, and desal plants driven by that renewable energy, I will happily support incentivizing chip fabrication. But until then I have other priorities.