Growing Vegetables Year-Round in the Desert Using Solar Heat and Power

[youngbuck]

Growing food in the desert: is this the solution to the world's food crisis?

Mirrors that track the sun provide focused heat to desalinate seawater, and solar panels generate electricity for climate control inside greenhouses. Can it be scaled up to meet commercial demand?

 

[Petar]

Holy shit this is the absolute coolest thing that I have seen in a very very very long time.

 

[jmdrake]

Yah. I've long wondered why stuff like this isn't done in places like Ethiopia. Ocean + sun should equal plenty of food regardless of fresh water supplies.

 

[Petar]

Read the comments if you want to be horrified. People think it's bad to grow food if you do it in a way that is profitable.

 

[Confederate]

Something similar has already been done. Look up Seawater Greenhouse. They've got a few pilots running around the world and have built a commercially successful greenhouse in the Australian desert. They're also building a 500,000 square foot test center in Jordan.

This is the commercial operation in Australia: http://www.sundropfarms.com/farms2/

There's a thread on it: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?281660-Seawater-Greenhouse&highlight=seawater+greenhouse

 

[flailer]

I see a whole lot of BUCKS $$$ being tied up in the previous posted examples. And, i think, that would be the fastest way to start production.

I just saw a web-site for a place called Quail Springs. It is in the desert in central calif. But i have doubts they are growing all year long.... But who am i?

"Hands-On Permaculture Design" is what their web site said:: Quail Springs. org

Peace n Joy to all my Brothers & Sisters in Freedom,
f