New Technology and Sustainable Development

Sustainable Development

Development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs - Gro Harlem Brundtland

Concentrated Solar

• mirrors → heat water → turn turbines

• NOOR in Morocco

Intermediate Technology

Suitable for poor arid regions, appropriate solutions for resources

Tu Nur, Tunisia

• CSP

• 2 gigawatts(double a nuclear power plant)

• Base load renewable power

• Transferred to Europe through undersea cables

• Lose less energy with high voltage DC cables

Desalinisation

• convert salty water into potable water by evaporation or reverse osmosis

• 1% of the population depend on desalinised water

• 14% will by 2025

Khafa

• desalinisation plant in Saudi Arabia

• uses solar panels for energy

• creates a lot of brine

Pros of Desalinisation

• provides water on-site

• uses plentiful salt water

• technological fix

Cons of Desalinisation

• energy-hungry

• expensive

• impact on marine ecosystems

• creates highly saline areas

Hyphen, Namibia

• Namibia, $10 billion

• 4,000km2, 350,000 tonnes a year

• water from the sea → desalinated → electrolysed by solar + wind → H2 exported

Hydrogen Types

• Grey → steam methane reforming

• Blue → steam methane reforming by the products are sequestered

• Green → electrolysis of water