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Gove is a mining town in north Australia. Unfortunatly the mining company is shutting down the mine and processing plant. Okay, you might think, no more mine jobs in a port, but the mine generates electricity and the surplus provides for the town. No Mine means no electricity.
The only real option for the town is to generate its own power, and that would take wind turbines generating electricity to turn sea water into hydrogen and oxygen for local and export energy use. It would take strong government capable of acting on behalf of the interests of the town but that doesnt exist. It would also require a deal with indigenous land rights owners to commit to an extension of the city's future existence in a real way. There is also the issue of aboriginal conditions the poorest living in backwards conditions while the powerful tribe members live in million dollar homes with control of the royalties. Conditions all created by government not doing the right thing for everyone.
What do you think?
The words "unprecedented economic disaster and potential ecological disaster" spring to mind.
I shouldn't do this, but here's a bit of reading on hydrogen:
Those pretty much establish that hydrogen is extremely expensive to separate from water... to the point the question becomes why they shouldn't just sell the excess wind energy. It would be more profitable, less dangerous, and much easier to set up.
Note I am ignoring the heating method... mainly because it was not brought up. Plus, a water pumping plant for separating hydrogen and oxygen is very expensive and boiling the ocean is... not smart.
Oh, and one other problem... hydrogen is notoriously explosive. So much so that there is ongoing research into safe ways to store it. And, in fact, NASA once used a form of it as rocket fuel just because of how explosive it is. Add to that the fact that the other component of water happens to be one of the best oxidizers to exist (which is also known for its explosive qualities due to how good of an oxidizer it is), and you pretty much have a recipe for a very big boom and a very tragic end.
The most promising research that I know of requires a rare material just to exist. That solution is pretty much a dead end for civilian use of hydrogen.
Neither hydrogen or oxygen are explosive. Hydrogen is highly flammable and oxygen is a wonderful oxidizer, that doesn't make either one explosive.
Neither hydrogen or oxygen are explosive. Hydrogen is highly flammable and oxygen is a wonderful oxidizer, that doesn't make either one explosive.
Edit: Realized how this post looked.
I know neither one are technically explosive ^^ Just that they're usually stored at pressures where the difference becomes academic.
They also have thorium in the region meaning they can mine and manufacture thorium fuel cells which I think are the ones used to make petroleum.
Petroleum is a fossil fuel. But they could try a thorium nuclear reactor.
Gove is a mining town in north Australia. Unfortunatly the mining company is shutting down the mine and processing plant. Okay, you might think, no more mine jobs in a port, but the mine generates electricity and the surplus provides for the town. No Mine means no electricity.
The only real option for the town is to generate its own power, and that would take wind turbines generating electricity to turn sea water into hydrogen and oxygen for local and export energy use. It would take strong government capable of acting on behalf of the interests of the town but that doesnt exist. It would also require a deal with indigenous land rights owners to commit to an extension of the city's future existence in a real way. There is also the issue of aboriginal conditions the poorest living in backwards conditions while the powerful tribe members live in million dollar homes with control of the royalties. Conditions all created by government not doing the right thing for everyone.
What do you think?
Abandon the town...move on.