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Current Events » in reply to Think as you drink!

Here's one answer that snuck under my personal Radar
nick hoffman — (archived)

CETO
http://www.ceto.com.au/home.php

Using wavepower to generate high pressure water from wave-driven pumps. The pressurised water stream can drive a turbine and generate electricity. Since no electricity is generated offshore, you don't have the safety issues of electricity and salt water.

Also, the trial plant reached 921 psi. 800psi is required to force seawater through reverse osmosis screens. Therefore, when electric power is NOT required, the energy can be used to make (and store) potable water.

This answers many problems of "green" power - what to do with a variable power source that is at the whim of the weather. Here, a storable product is made that would otherwise require carbon-based fuel to produce.

(In fact, when in water production mode, the plant makes about 50% the electric power it does when in full generating mode, since the pressurised water stream can only be partly filtered and the saline return flow is still under high pressure.)

Notwithstanding all the above, the analysis shows that this technology STILL needs a tax break or other financial support to make it competitive with carbon-based fuels. But as the oil price heads past US$100/bbl, it should come into its own.

Note also, they have to make the pumps in China to get labour costs low enough.

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