Desalination – Wind & Solar Power

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The Western Cape Province in South Africa is currently facing a major drought cycle and the desalination plants were recommended as a possible solution.

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Now here comes the tricky part, how does one power the desalination part? The Department of Energy plans to power the plants via Generation IV hybrid reactor systems [1].

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Which is expensive to construct and takes a long period to build. Maintenance safety requirements during the duration of the nuclear hybrid reactors is high (compared to renewable energy) since all round clock supervision of the reactors is required.

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Here comes Wind & Solar Power for a possible cost effective solution [2]. The Western Cape coastlines experience strong winds due to the North – Westerly Winds and the South Easter Winds [3]. However the average daily Direct Normal Irradiation [DNI] (the amount of sunlight radiation available) is highest in December for the Western Cape Province [4]. Still the average daily DNI of less than 6 can still potentially absorb available sunlight.

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If the Department of Energy directs more investment into Wind and Solar Power Generators specially for the Desalination Plants then this would be a safer, economical and sustainable source of energy.

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You may ask where will the funding come from? In my opinion there are two possible and realistic solutions:

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1. By issuing green energy bonds by the Western Cape Province.

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1. By tapping into the loans with low interest from The New Development Bank which is financed and created by the BRICS alliance of countries.

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Something to think about.

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Here are links of interest how a desalination plants works:

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a) https://www.treehugger.com/clean-water/how-desalination-works.html

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b) https://science.howstuffworks.com/environmental/earth/oceanography/how-does-desalination-work.htm

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Reference Source:

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[1] https://mybroadband.co.za/news/science/233547-south-africa-to-desalinate-its-own-seawater.html

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[2] https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2016-10-18-comparative-analysis-the-cost-of-new-power-generation-in-south-africa#.WecN3uNPn3g

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[3] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Doctor

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[4]

http://www.crses.sun.ac.za/files/services/events/workshops/Additional%20-%20TP%20Fluri%20The%20potential%20o%20fconcentrating%20solar%20power%20in%20South%20Africa.pdf

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[5] Image: https://mybroadband.co.za/news/energy/148909-africa-gets-10-billion-renewable-energy-boost.html

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