BOISE, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2010 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- If you thought the world's biggest woes will come from financial crises or potential shortages of oil and energy, think again. The looming crisis is a scarcity of water. The World Water Forum predicts that within 20 years, half the world's population will be affected by water shortages, "with millions dying and increasing conflicts over dwindling resources." http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/water-scarcity-now-bigger-threat-than-financial-crisis-1645358.html
In fact, says a recent United Nations report, shortages are already beginning to slow economic growth everywhere from California and China to Australia and India.
"If the 20th century witnessed the rise and fall of nations over oil, the 21st century could be one in which the rise and fall of nations is determined by water," wrote Yoichi Funabashi, editor-in-chief of the Asahi Shimbun, recently. http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSTRE69A3CE20101011?pageNumber=1
But the coming crisis is also bringing opportunities for companies, says Don Gillispie, CEO of Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc (OTCQB:AEHI), a Boise-based company whose Green World Water™ subsidiary markets nuclear powered desalination systems produced by China National Nuclear Corporation based on an original Westinghouse design. "The innovation and ingenuity of the private sector can solve this looming global problem - and make money for investors," he says.
UBS's latest "Research Focus", (September 2010) (http://www.ubs.com/1/e/index.html), predicts that the private industry water sector will, "grow faster than overall markets in the coming years. In particular, providers of water infrastructure, technology, and services that offer sustainable solutions to efficient water use are likely to experience solid growth."
One bold project already underway involves scooping up 3 million gallons of water a year from a pristine lake in Alaska and shipping it to India. (http://www.newsweek.com/2010/10/08/the-race-to-buy-up-the-world-s-water.html)
Alternate Energy Holdings' own analysis, however, shows that it's easier and more cost-effective to produce pure water closer to where it is needed. And the best way to do that is to build nuclear-powered desalination plants, argues Gillispie. Gillispie is a 45-year veteran of the nuclear industry, and his company, AEHI, is already planning new electricity-generating nuclear power plants in Idaho and Colorado in the U.S. "A nuclear plant is basically a giant source of heat, so the heat can be used not only to make electricity but also to turn any source of water into steam than can be condensed into pure water," Gillispie explains.
Gillispie and his Green World Water™ subsidiary (http://www.GreenWorld-H2O.com/) has at least initial interest from representatives of over 30 countries around the world. The company also opened an office in Nigeria in early October to market the systems to nations in West Africa.
Using 650 or 1100 Megawatt (MWe) nuclear desalinization reactors and water from the ocean, a single plant could produce 400,000 cubic meter of clean water a day, enough to meet the needs of 1,000,000 people. And since the plants also make electricity, they help countries meet their power needs. "Revenues from selling electricity would actually pay for the production of water," explains Gillispie.
About Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc. (http://www.aehipower.com) -- Alternate Energy Holdings develops and markets innovative clean energy sources. The company is the nation's only independent nuclear power plant developer seeking to build new power plants in multiple non-nuclear states. Other projects include Energy Neutral(TM), which removes energy demands from homes and businesses (http://www.EnergyNeutralinc.com), Colorado Energy Park (nuclear and solar generation), and Green World Water(TM), which assists developing countries with nuclear reactors for power generation (http://www.GreenWorld-H2O.com), production of potable water and other suitable applications. AEHI China, headquartered in Beijing, develops joint ventures to produce nuclear plant components and consults on nuclear power.
The Alternate Energy Holdings, Inc. logo is available at http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=8058
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