Gas turbines are ideal where:

• A. noise is undesirable
• B. water is scarce
• C. thermal pollution is of major concern
• D. waste heat can be discharged into the atmosphere

Answer: (B)

Gas turbines are best understood by looking at their cooling and water requirements. Unlike steam turbines, which rely on large amounts of water for turning steam back to liquid and for cooling, gas turbines use air for the combustion process and can often be cooled by ambient air rather than abundant water. This means they need very little makeup water and can operate effectively in environments where water is scarce. That makes them especially suitable in arid regions or places with limited water resources.

So, in that context, choosing gas turbines helps avoid tying up precious water supplies, which is why they’re considered ideal where water is scarce. The other factors—noise, thermal pollution, or simply discharging heat to the atmosphere—are general considerations for many plant types and don’t provide the same clear practical advantage as minimal water use.