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Everyone's focusing on what was the first example if what that much "will to get shit done" could do. There's lots you could do with that much. Hell, they coul

Everyone's focusing on what was the first example if what that much "will to get shit done" could do. There's lots you could do with that much. Hell, they could have done what I would have done if I were an country and slapped a cool trillion on modular, exportable, nuclear reactor technology and become the world's supplier of those (though actually maybe we've waited too long and bulk solar is a better bet these days, which they're in on domestically, but not apparently as a mass export). I don't think they'll get much useful return on these gigatonnes of steel, glass and concrete in the desert and that's more then a little sad to me. But maybe I'm wrong and it'll become a mega-Shenzhen and outshine the world.

toast0 4y ago
Again, that's an idea that requires buy in from the outside. You could do all that, but not if the IAEA decides not to like you, and if you can't find buyers for the reactors when they're ready in 10? years what's the point. May as well build a locally focused boondongle. If the tolerances are good, maybe the central rail makes for a decent linear accelerator site if the rest of the building is vacant.
- Oxidation 4y ago
  Well, again drilling into a specific off-the-cuff example, but even if Saudi of all countries can't muscle in there, install a shitload yourself on the peninsula and become a net fresh water exporter with massive desalination plants. Probably you don't even need nuclear at this point and go straight for solar. In 10 years, or 20, or 30, there's going to insane water demand on all sides: the entire middle East and most of Africa is going to be at each others throats for water and will pay whatever you ask. Pretty much how it works now for oil, actually. With that in mind, maybe it's indeed the best possible outcome that that KSA splash the cash harmlessly and uselessly rather then build a new chokehold on something.

toast0 4y ago

Again, that's an idea that requires buy in from the outside. You could do all that, but not if the IAEA decides not to like you, and if you can't find buyers for the reactors when they're ready in 10? years what's the point. May as well build a locally focused boondongle. If the tolerances are good, maybe the central rail makes for a decent linear accelerator site if the rest of the building is vacant.

Oxidation 4y ago
Well, again drilling into a specific off-the-cuff example, but even if Saudi of all countries can't muscle in there, install a shitload yourself on the peninsula and become a net fresh water exporter with massive desalination plants. Probably you don't even need nuclear at this point and go straight for solar. In 10 years, or 20, or 30, there's going to insane water demand on all sides: the entire middle East and most of Africa is going to be at each others throats for water and will pay whatever you ask. Pretty much how it works now for oil, actually. With that in mind, maybe it's indeed the best possible outcome that that KSA splash the cash harmlessly and uselessly rather then build a new chokehold on something.