Solar power has become an increasingly popular alternative energy source and a viable energy option for water conservation. Solar energy requires almost no water to generate electricity unlike other conventional energy sources. As compared to coal-fired or nuclear power plants, solar power requires as little as zero gallons of water to produce an equal amount of electricity. And innovative industrial techniques are using solar power to specifically target the water shortages devastating the state.
One of the prospects for easing California’s drought lies in this increasingly popular source of energy. HydroRevolution, a subsidiary of WaterFX, intends to build the state’s first commercial solar desalination plant in the Central Valley. The plant will produce up to 1.6 billion gallons of clean water per year by using heat generated from solar panels to distill clean water from its original source. Thermal heat storage retains extra heat to carry on the process when the sun is not able to generate the necessary energy. In this highly efficient, solar-powered process, unwanted minerals are removed from saltwater to render it useable for drinking and agriculture.
California was already on the path to becoming a leader in the use of solar powered energy as part of the Million Solar Roofs Program initiated by Governor Schwarzenegger. The program sought to create 1,940 megawatts of solar generated electricity by the year 2016 as part of a large scale renewable energy initiative. Today, California is the nations’ leader in solar energy installation with approximately 2 million homes powered by solar energy in 2015. As an additional benefit, solar installation has the effect of offsetting carbon emissions and providing an extra boost in the effort to combat climate change. Taking into account just the 2 million homes powered by solar energy, the carbon offset is akin to eliminating the emissions of two million cars. Solar powered water treatment facilities, such as the facility being developed by HydroRevolution, will have the effect of combatting long term water shortages driven by climate change without the increase of carbon emissions seen from other energy sources.
Contact Shane Coons at 949-333-0900 or visit his website at www.ShaneCoonsLaw.com to find out more about the practice.