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This massively underrates the cost and challenge of brine waste remediation and fails to account for the cost to our broader need to reduce carbon emissions by
by jasonpbecker 4y ago
This massively underrates the cost and challenge of brine waste remediation and fails to account for the cost to our broader need to reduce carbon emissions by redirecting large solar projects to brand new energy uses versus replacing existing energy infrastructure.
- jamiek88 4y agoYeah desalination itself is a solved problem now we have solar power what is not a solved problem is the waste remediation. Brine is a real problem that needs solving somehow before massive global desalination efforts can take place.
- jeffbee 4y agoWe already have a considerable seasonal surplus of photovoltaic power. We actually disconnect California PV plants in the spring because we can't use the energy they would produce, and we have to pay the operators of those plants for the curtailment. This represents essentially cost-free energy that we can redirect to desalination. As we deploy more and more PV to cover our late-summer peak demands, the spring curtailment will also grow.
- bushbaba 4y agoCalifornia could pump the brine waste to the salton sea. Solving two issues at once.