Long-term impact of water desalination plants on the energy and carbon dioxide balance of Victoria,Australia: a case study from Wonthaggi

In 2007, the state government of Victoria, Australia, announced plans to build a large desalination plant with a capacity of 150 million m³ per year of desalinated water. Currently, the only feasible source for significant expansion of the greenhouse-gas neutral (GGN) energy generation in the state is wind power. A criterion for GGN of a desalination plant has been formulated. In a case of no greenhouse gas contribution from the desalination plant, the criterion is satisfied if the annual growth of the electrical energy generated by GGN sources is around 6–9% for the period 2010–2070. Higher annual growth of 18% for the period 2008–2015, 8% annually for the period 2015–2035 and 6% annual growth thereafter are required if the desalination plant is contributing to the greenhouse-gas balance of the state.