why isn’t it feasible to use wind or solar power (clean power) to run desalination plants to solve water crisis?

Question

why isn’t it feasible to use wind or solar power (clean power) to run desalination plants to solve water crisis?

In: Technology

Answer 1

Desalination uses lots of power. Wind and solar power generate little power.

BUT, in a way, solar can be used, but by using the heat of the sun to evaporate water, thus separating salt from water. It’s pretty slow, though, so in most cases, it’s used to get to the salt, rather than to get the fresh water.

So, the problem isn’t if it’s possible or not, it’s possible. The problem is a matter of scale, you can’t scale it to the industrial scale needed to be meaningful.