What's Wrong With Nuclear Desalination Plants?
Sorry to harp on about reality, but for whatever reason, the truth is, we (homo-sapiens) are running out of clean water. Let’s face it, when the time comes, not all of us will be able to buy passage on the space station out of here, either.
So, what’s the problem with using nukes for peaceful, practical methods - as God indented, like de-salination plants, for example? ‘Oh NO, I hear you say, they are only good as bombs and somewhere else too, not here!’
Is the fact, that the population of this planet is exceeding the natural sustainable limit for Mother Nature to cart about, so hard to fathom? If life here was an experiment as some believe, then I think it’s successful, guys…. Hey guys, didn’t you make provision for forward thinking brains when you dabbled with those genomes?"
As one genie I know once said, ‘…it’s time to wake up and smell the hommos!’ In Japan, where there are many more people than here in Oz and much less countryside to meander through, the BN-350 fast reactor at Aktau, has been safely and silently running for 27 years. About 60% of its power is currently being used for heat and desalination. Further, there are another 10 or so such facilities around Japan alone, each yielding 1000-3000 million metric litres of pure clean water, per day and next to no pollution. Not bad, when you consider the rise in the sea is estimated at about 20 metres over the next 50 years. Seems amicable to me?
Alternatively, there are desalination plants who use fossil fuels. Worldwide they contribute millions of metric tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, not to mention that oil reserves have peaked and we only have about 70 years left to go down (or up) that garden path. Hello Max! I am reminded of the ballroom on the Titanic here, just before it went down. The part where everyone is still dancing after the first contact with the iceberg, bartender, I’ll have that stiff drink now and make it a double!
… and the band played on …
Meanwhile, I note with interest each month, that the current government has its pollsters running endless surveys, testing the waters on whether the masses have bought the idea of nuclear desalination plants yet, or not. Last month, the PM finally got to announce that Labor’s scare tactics re: nuclear desalination, are not effective anymore, as (Halleluiah) opinion is shifting on this issue. Amen.
I don’t want to get into the politics, as that is probably what got us into this mess in the first place, but what I do want to say, is that I applaud younger Australian’s who are now saying, let’s sit down and look at this issue, objectively and not bury our heads in the sand (or our arses). Let’s see whether nuclear power might (in time) be a clean alternative to fossil fuels.
Perhaps there’s hope yet, Mr Gore … keep on going, you legend!
Or my fellow bloggers, is this another band-aid cure, just adding plutonium to the reactor, for a future melt-down? Whichever way you look at it, water saving shower heads, are just not enough in the final wash.
So, what’s the problem with using nukes for peaceful, practical methods - as God indented, like de-salination plants, for example? ‘Oh NO, I hear you say, they are only good as bombs and somewhere else too, not here!’
Is the fact, that the population of this planet is exceeding the natural sustainable limit for Mother Nature to cart about, so hard to fathom? If life here was an experiment as some believe, then I think it’s successful, guys…. Hey guys, didn’t you make provision for forward thinking brains when you dabbled with those genomes?"
As one genie I know once said, ‘…it’s time to wake up and smell the hommos!’ In Japan, where there are many more people than here in Oz and much less countryside to meander through, the BN-350 fast reactor at Aktau, has been safely and silently running for 27 years. About 60% of its power is currently being used for heat and desalination. Further, there are another 10 or so such facilities around Japan alone, each yielding 1000-3000 million metric litres of pure clean water, per day and next to no pollution. Not bad, when you consider the rise in the sea is estimated at about 20 metres over the next 50 years. Seems amicable to me?
Alternatively, there are desalination plants who use fossil fuels. Worldwide they contribute millions of metric tonnes of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere, not to mention that oil reserves have peaked and we only have about 70 years left to go down (or up) that garden path. Hello Max! I am reminded of the ballroom on the Titanic here, just before it went down. The part where everyone is still dancing after the first contact with the iceberg, bartender, I’ll have that stiff drink now and make it a double!
… and the band played on …
Meanwhile, I note with interest each month, that the current government has its pollsters running endless surveys, testing the waters on whether the masses have bought the idea of nuclear desalination plants yet, or not. Last month, the PM finally got to announce that Labor’s scare tactics re: nuclear desalination, are not effective anymore, as (Halleluiah) opinion is shifting on this issue. Amen.
I don’t want to get into the politics, as that is probably what got us into this mess in the first place, but what I do want to say, is that I applaud younger Australian’s who are now saying, let’s sit down and look at this issue, objectively and not bury our heads in the sand (or our arses). Let’s see whether nuclear power might (in time) be a clean alternative to fossil fuels.
Perhaps there’s hope yet, Mr Gore … keep on going, you legend!
Or my fellow bloggers, is this another band-aid cure, just adding plutonium to the reactor, for a future melt-down? Whichever way you look at it, water saving shower heads, are just not enough in the final wash.
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Thank you for the compliment.
I am still new to this blog scene and would really appreciate your advice on how to bookmark another person's site.
Thanks again
Lilla.
Aloha, Angie
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You have just given me a great idea for my next post, thanks.
Came again
Lilla.
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AngelikaH wrote:
hello, Thank you for your post, I love the name Envirowarrior!
I don't know much about this issue, but I do get a gut feeling that this is a band aid cure.
Also, I don't trust anyone assuring us these things are safe.
When that melt down happened in Chernobyl, I'm sure they were told that an incident like that would never happen.
But I don't know enough of the science to have a proper response, and I don't know of any alternative routes.
I can only hope that we humans figure out some way to have safe water for all...
Aloha, Angie
In response to AngelikaH's excellent comment, I would like to say that I think Chernobyl was an accident waiting to happen and not an accident that had to happen. Those of you up with current affairs and recent world history would well be aware of the lack of funds that contributed to this awful tragedy. What wasn't well documented amid the general (surface) media frenzy (and never is in my opinion as a journalist myself) was the fact that Russia was broke and being ridden to the end of its social paradigm by a silent, less physically invasive one - Democracy/Capitalism. There was no money to pay the workers for God's sake, let alone for the upkeep of such a facility and equipment. Didn't you all see Lord Of War?
Do you really think a nuclear plant in Australia (Like Lucas Heights) or America, UK or (upper) Europe would recieve the same neglect? What's your take on it, really...
-Stop logging water catchments: this would see an increase in water of 25%, Victoria's government spends millions on ads telling us to save water, yet still subsidises logging around the Thompson Dam.
-Putting irrigation channels in pipes to reduce evaporation.
-I also believe Queensland had a good idea in recycling water, I know recylced water is hard to swallow (sorry!) but think about it, by the time water gets to Adelaide it has been recycled in Echuca, Swan Hill, Mildura, Murray Bridge and elsewhere along the Murray. I know we go on about Adelaide water but still, it is an option.
-also I think it is important to note that once you add up the petrol used to mine uranium, then transport it, then contain and store the waste, you have actually burned more petrol energy than you will save with nuclear power.
I think that simple steps like solar panels on rooves (which cuts Germany's energy consumption by 30%) and turning lights off when you're not in a room (have you ever looked at an office block at night and realised all those lit rooms are empty?) would be an option. As Al Gore proved, we can do simple steps which would see us reduce emissions to below 1970s standards. I don't think we need to waste money on nuclear or carbon capture, the options aren't that hard.
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Thanks for visitng. I love some of your ideas. I'm actually in Queensland, I do believe putting me in WA was a sysstem glich (more likely operator error), anyway, I'm back at home now on the Sunshine Coast, Q., and I do believe they are going to go with the grand plan of recycling our water. I like your view on it travelling down the 'line' ... (no need to apologise).
How do these irrigation channels work, I've never heard of them before?
Actually, I had thought of them running the uranium by train, but you are right, that's coal anyway, isn't it?
I was just researching house rooves being covered with solar panels for another blog. You are dead right there. Every house in Australia could well be self sufficient. I used to live out in the sticks (by choice) for 10 years and knew people who did not want for anything by not having Electrical connections. The big question though, was always a matter of how to store the dam stuff once collected. One Household had around 50 truck battery's under their house, which seemed to work quite well. Another problem was frost (I lived up on the snow line in SE NSW) and the panels would freeze and then crack. Very costly to replace and a constant local groan would enshew every winter. Government could put it's money where it's mouth is on that front, regarding rebates, couldn't it?
Otherwise I agree and believe Al Gore has got the right idea.
A silent revolution must follow, and soon, it's getting people actually interested before we hit the wall that seems to be so daunting a task, not turning the tables on environmental damage. That could be achieved overnight with the technology that's already freely available in other parts of the world. Like I said, Mushrooms.
Thanks for dropping by.
L.
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But I'm still left to ponder how we can solve this water shortage issue that is sweeping the world - we cannot live without it.
Lilla.