3 ms·
Deserts are excellent places for agriculture for the same reason they are good for solar power. There is an abundant amount of solar energy, the growing season
by oceanplexian 5y ago
Deserts are excellent places for agriculture for the same reason they are good for solar power. There is an abundant amount of solar energy, the growing season is long and consistent, there are few pests, and reversing desertification has numerous environmental benefits.
The problem is an engineering problem: We need to build more reservoirs, encourage rainwater harvesting, convert agriculture to more efficient irrigation, and build out desalination. The Earth has no shortage of H2O, in fact it’s one of the most abundant things on the planet.
- post_break 5y agoSolar and growing food aren't exactly apple to apples. One has no moving parts and doesn't require moving a natural resource for it to work. Maybe if you argued about hydroponics in the area using solar to power the lights inside the building and AC, but growing food in a desert where water is scarce by taking it in insane volumes from another place just doesn't make sense to me.
- aeternum 5y ago>growing food in a desert where water is scarce by taking it in insane volumes from another place just doesn't make sense to me The central valley project has arguably been one of the most impressive things humanity has ever done. It turned 3 million acres of desert into farmland, which has provided us with almost 100 years of food and also produces over 5 Twh of electricity per year.