Now imagine a world not dependant on fossil fuels, but on the sun. In Abu Dhabi, recently, a quiet revolution took place. A state tender for energy supply was won on price by a huge solar energy plant, for 5,28 cents US per kilowatt hour.

Solar power does have its place, but let's not forget the inconvenient truth: The sun doesn't shine at night, even in sun-rich countries.

It is for a reason that the United Arab Emirates currently have their first nuclear power plant under construction with four 1,400 MW units which will go online from next year until 2020.

And it is for a reason that Saudi Arabia plans to construct 16 nuclear power reactors over the next 20 years at a cost of more than $80 billion, with the first reactor on line in 2022.

Oh, and since California has been mentioned here, it could build new nuclear to generate electricity (including power for data centers), avoid CO2 emissions (including CO2 emissions resulting from data centers consuming power that is generated by burning natural gas), and desalinate sea water (including water to cool data centers). Water desalination is already done at California's only remaining nuclear power plant Diablo Canyon, but for its own consumption only. Plans are to build a pipeline and to maximize output of the desalination facilities to help ease the water crisis in neighboring communities.

Okay, back to this forum's topic now …