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The Point Paterson Desalination Plant was a planned municipal-scale solar-powered
desalination plant
Desalination is a process that takes away mineral components from saline water. More generally, desalination refers to the removal of salts and minerals from a target substance, as in soil desalination, which is an issue for agriculture. Saltw ...
with land-based brine disposal near Point Paterson in the locality of
Winninowie in the
Australian state
The states and territories are federated administrative divisions in Australia, ruled by regional governments that constitute the second level of governance between the federal government and local governments. States are self-governing ...
of
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
about south of the city centre of
Port Augusta.
[ The Point Paterson Project was to utilise a salt flat owned by a salt company but which has not been in use for solar salt production for decades. The plant would have integrated renewable energy and desalination technologies to create environmentally-friendly electricity and water. In particular, the project would have significantly reduced the usual greenhouse impacts associated with grid electricity demand for desalination.][Solar-powered desalination plant leads the way]
/ref> The project had attracted the interest of internationally renowned climatologist, the late Professor Stephen Schneider, who joined the Board of Acquasol in 2006.
Salt harvesting
As the plant was to be built on the site of a salt pan, brine wastewater from the desalination process would be diverted onto the pan rather than pumped back into the gulf. Once the brine evaporates, the remaining salt was to be harvested and sold. The profits from the salt harvesting will be used to offset the cost of the desalination process while simultaneously preventing wastewater from being pumped back into the Spencer Gulf.
See also
* List of desalination plants in Australia
References
External links
Desal plant developer Acquasol is seeking funding from private investors. APRIL 07, 2010
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Desalination plants in Australia
Proposed infrastructure in Australia
Port Augusta
Infrastructure in South Australia