Gas turbines are ideal in environments where which resource is scarce?

• A. Noise control is a concern
• B. Water is scarce
• C. Thermal pollution is a concern
• D. Waste heat discharge is regulated

Answer: (B)

Gas turbines shine in places where water is scarce because their cycle uses very little cooling water. In a simple gas-turbine cycle, air is compressed, heated by burning fuel, and expanded through the turbine—there’s no large steam boiler or condenser requiring大量 cooling water. That means cooling needs are minimal and can often be met with dry or very low water use. In contrast, steam-turbine systems rely on large amounts of water for steam generation and condenser cooling, which is a major constraint in arid regions. Even in combined-cycle plants, while some water is still needed for the steam portion, the overall water use is much less than that of a full steam plant. So, water scarcity is the key factor that makes gas turbines especially suitable in such environments.