Philanthropy for the future

Elon musk just offered to supply a battery to solve Australia's power issues.  When installed, if it is installed what this battery system would do is buffer the electricity supply of the nation.  Australia's problem is that there is no other nation to buy excess energy from, so when people use the power unexpectantly, a brown out occurs.  In a closed system this is very important, the battery that is, because it allows for a larger window of supply to be increased.  It is good sense.  I hope they let Elon Musk do it.

The thing is Australia is a nation in a great position make all of its energy clean and it has a lot of space to make that clean energy.  Millions of hectares of hot deserts could allow the generation massive amounts of solar power, which as critics point out cant be used at night, but since most power is used during the day, this is not a problem.  Moreover, the Geothermal potential in Australia is quite high, this could provide more power for the day, but also power at night, which would be the real benefit currently.  The use of solar in the day and Geothermal at night along with battery storage to supplement, would make Australia self sufficient in clean energy.  

Australia has so much potential for clean energy independence that it is in a unique position that it could think about more frivolous uses for the excess power.  They could use the power to desalinate ocean water and use it for drinking water, or irrigation water.  They could green up the deserts.  I am serious.  The changes that they make would even become sustainable after a time.  Half of the rain that falls in the Amazon Rainforest was recycled from the forest itself, over half.  It may be possible to pioneer this technology in Australia and then export it to other nations, like those of the Sahara and the Middle East.  Those are all dry regions that were desertifide by humans with poor farming practices and climate change. They are also regions with lots of solar power potential and access to large bodies of water, albeit salt water.  Canals may have to be built in the case of Africa, but I believe that with effort we could green these deserts, solve food needs and provide great Carbon storage with plant matter.