The Climate, Environment and Energy Thread

[LP]

- Need water for plants (1,514L and 2,725L litres of water per MWh although a lot is recylced through the plant)

[member=181]dodge[/member] As distinct from alarmists and crackpots, real world engineers will tell you there is a very good reason that in a country like Australia nuclear is best paired with desalination plants, you solve two problems in one hit!

The nuclear plant needs water, as do coal, gas, geothermal or solar thermal facilities, but when coupled with a desalination plant the site makes more water than it uses. You're actually getting two services for the operating costs, energy and fresh water. Not building nuclear and desalination pairs is almost negligent management.

Further, modern desalination plants can be structured in such a way that they produce hydrogen as a by-product, in many older desalination plants hydrogen is an unwanted by-product that burnt off or disposed of by other means. In fairness it's not just hydrogen that is a valuable by-product, there are many trace elements that come out of the desalination process that make it a valuable exercise.