Remote Power and Water SUpplies
Remote locations, such as rural communities or mine sites are powered by off-grid power systems as they are not connected to the main electrical grid. Power for these locations will be generated locally and has traditionally taken the form of diesel or petrol generators. With advances in renewable energy, many remote locations are moving from fossil fuel powered generators to solar and wind power systems.
While some remote locations do have a reliable water supply, many are in water stressed areas. Australia, which is the second driest continent on the planet, has 350 operational mine sites, most of which are in remote regions in the arid interior of the continent. Additionally, Western Australia alone has more than 200 remote Indigenous Australian communities. These remote locations, be they mine sites or communities, supplement their meagre supplies of rainwater by treating the local groundwater to a potable standard.
Internationally, many remote communities in the Asia-Pacific region face a similar issue. In Africa, remote communities are increasingly pumping groundwater to the surface to supplement their water supply. Unfortunately much of the groundwater in Africa, particularly in water stressed areas like Chad and Somalia, is too saline to drink. After the saline groundwater is pumped to the surface (which requires power) the water can then be desalinated to a drinking water standard.
In Pacific Island Countries, while the main islands of most countries have extensive reticulated water supplies, remote islands in these countries rely on increasingly inconsistent rainwater supplies for drinking water. In these remote island locations, seawater is the most abundant source of water. Therefore energy needs to be provided not only to meet the local power demand but also for seawater desalination. However, seawater desalination is the most energy intensive water treatment method, so requires extensive power generation.
REPLACING GENERATORS WITH RENEWABLES
Using diesel or petrol generators to provide the power necessary to treat water locally is not a truly local solution. The fuel required to run the generators still needs to be transported to site. Given the remoteness of some of these locations, sites find it difficult to maintain the required amount of fuel. Solar and wind assets, which produce power locally, do not require imported products like fuel. Renewable energy will also decarbonise the local electricity supply (and any onsite water treatment).
Each location will have its own blend of renewable energy assets. Remote mine sites in the north of Australia are well suited to solar installations. In these locations, solar irradiation is high and there is limited shading of the panels. Remote coastal communities further from the equator are more suited to wind power. Wind power uses less land area and provides a more consistent long-term source of energy.
Source: Rio Tinto
Moerk Water are experts in the design and construction of renewable energy powered water treatment systems. Contact Moerk Water to discuss reliable, locally generated sources of water for remote locations.
