I recall making the same argument in another thread.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Desal-plant-plans-dont-help-Greens/2007/10/15/1192300644669.html

The Greens have slammed NSW government claims that a wind-powered desalination plant will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

The government plans to buy renewable energy to run Sydney's controversial desal plant at Kurnell, and has named the wind energy industry as a suitable source.

"Such a huge energy buy is probably the single biggest shot in the arm the green energy industry has ever had in Australia," Water Utilities Minister Nathan Rees said in a statement.

"As I have said repeatedly, Sydney's desalination plant will not produce a single kilogram of CO2 emissions."

However, Greens MP John Kaye said the wind plan would do nothing to reduce the output from NSW's current coal-fired power stations.

"By claiming these wind generators as part of (NSW's Renewable Energy Target), the government will create the illusion they are addressing climate change," Mr Kaye said.

The problem is that it will add to greenhouse emissions unless new plants are built for the project that wouldn't have been built anyway. When they buy the 'green energy' they just divert it from something else, while the total energy use goes up. Until we stop building new coal fired plants and start replacing them with better alternatives, anything that uses more electricity will push up our emissions. Saying it won't cause any more CO2 emissions is a crock.

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Desalination plant 'a white elephant'

http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Desalination-plant-a-white-elephant/2007/10/18/1192300944097.html

Conservation and community groups, accompanied by a large cardboard white elephant, have gathered outside NSW Parliament House to protest against the construction of Sydney's desalination plant.

About 30 banner-waving protesters met with Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell, handing over smaller white elephants which carried questions they asked him to put to the government.

The Nature Conservation Council of NSW, which helped organise the protest, said the plant was unnecessary given the recent heavy rains in Sydney's catchment areas.

"Although we support renewable energy, this project is energy inefficient and ignores the need to reduce our electricity use.

"With new recycling, water conservation and potential rainwater tanks, the plant will become a $2 billion white elephant."

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Desalination plant may be a waste: study

http://news.smh.com.au/desalination-plant-may-be-a-waste-study/20080311-1yj7.html

Victoria's planned desalination plant could be an unnecessary waste of energy, a study of Melbourne's water supply needs has found.

Even with reduced rainfall caused by climate change, of the $3.1 billion desalination plant goes ahead, Melbourne's dams could be overflowing by 2014, Fairfax newspapers report on Tuesday.

The prediction comes from anti-desalination protest group YourWaterYourSay, using Victorian government data, Fairfax said.

Group spokesman Neil Rankine said its Melbourne's Water: Supply and Demand Analysis used the government's figures for catchment inflows, Melbourne's expected water use, new water sources and expected increases in environmental flows over the next eight years.

Desalination plants are usually a last resort, are they not?