There are quite a few projects across the world that are trying to turn the desert in to farming space both because the remaining planet is struggling to find new land for agriculture and the number of mouths the world needs to feed is growing at a blurring rate. This has forced engineers and designers to turn to deserts to try and eek out anything that is possible. One of the theoretically simple solutions has always been to desalinate the water from the oceans and to make use of the newly available fresh water. But it is one thing to write that day and a whole different ballgame when it comes to execution.
The one which we personally love the most but will unlikely see happening is the Fog Tower on the edge of Atacama Desert. But the Sahara Forest Project seems far more realistic and a lot less extravagant in execution. The Sahara Forest project would combine huge greenhouses with concentrated solar power (CSP). It uses mirrors to focus the sun’s rays and generate heat and electricity. The greenhouses work by using the solar farm to power seawater evaporators and then pump the damp, cool air through the greenhouse. This reduces the temperature inside compared to that outside. At the other end of the greenhouse from the evaporators, the water vapor is condensed.
The project has a very sound basic principle and all that fresh water can be easily used to maintain many ecosystems that would be rich in both sunlight and moisture. The additional water is used to both constantly clean the solar panels and also quench the thirst of the local communities. The project sounds both great and serious. If it does materialize then our only concern would be if man would dry up the oceans as well as we are never really used to moderations.
Via: WebEcoist
