water, energy and sustainability
DESCRIPTION
Water savings is energy savings: Water not consumed saves energy Water not transported saves energy Water reused saves energy Decentralized, ecological water treatment does all of the aboveTRANSCRIPT
Water, Energy, and Sustainability
In a biotech world, water networks are a bigger deal than bit streams. You’re not made out of digital bits – like all living things, you are made mostly of water. So that’s where you sensibly place your high tech investments.
Bruce Sterling
Water is:• An Economic Issue• An Environmental
Issue• An Aesthetic Issue• A Food Issue
• A Health Issue
• A Climate Issue
• A Security Issue
Our Bottom Line: During the next 10 years, many countries important to the United States will experience water problems – shortages, poor water quality, or floods -- that will risk instability and state failure, increase regional tensions, and distract them from working with the United States on important US policy objectives. Between now and 2040, fresh water availability will not keep up with demand absent more effective management of water resources. Water problems will hinder the ability of key countries to produce food and generate energy, posing a risk to global food markets and hobbling economic growth. As a result of demographic and economic development pressures, North Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia will face major challenges coping with water problems.
Global Water SecurityICA 2012-082 February, 2012
Source: McKinsey 2030 Water Resources Group
Remaining Gap 60%Remaining Gap 60%
Estimated Cost of Basin Scale Strategies to Address Shortfall:
Wastewater ReuseWastewater Reuse
We consume
massive quantities of water
to generate energy,
and we consume
massive quantities of
energy to deliver clean
water.” Michael E. Weber,
“Catch-22: Water vs. Energy”, Scientific American Earth 3.0
Water Saving is Energy Saving
• Water not consumed saves energy• Water not transported saves energy• Water reused saves energy• Decentralized, ecological water treatment does all of
the above
Moving 1 billion gallons of water one mile consumes 16,500 megawatt hours,
= annual consumption of about 1,000 homes
The Energy – Water Nexus
Fossil Fuel &
Fossil Water
Gravity Flow & Natural Cycles
EnergyWater SourcesReceiving WaterFunds
Ecological Synthesis?
© 2011 Worrell Water Technologies, LLC
Energy Embodied in Water
• Direct Energy– To access, move, and
treat
• Indirect Energy– To build and maintain
infrastructure
Water Embodied in Energy
Personal water consumption
Water for personal energy
Water for personal food
Standard Fossil Fuels
Bio Fuels
Grid Electricity
Renewable Electricity
Graphs combine various sources with different values. Scale represents rough order of magnitude
Fundamental Change in Real Costs
• Energy and Materials• Information
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₩Rp
Time
Desalination is Not Economic
Price per Acre Foot1 Ac Ft = 327,000 gallons
Source: Modesto Irrigation District
BiofuelsFuel type Water Consumed
(gallons per mile)Water Withdrawn(gallons per mile)
Gasoline, Diesel, and Electricity from Renewable Source Less than 0.15 Less than 1
Electricity derived from U.S. Grid 0.30 – 0.75 5 – 20
Corn-ethanol 28 36
Soy-based biodiesel 8 10
King, C. and Webber, M. “Water Intensity of Transportation.” Journal of ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY / VOL. 42, NO. 21, 2008 <http://pubs.acs.org/doi/pdf/10.1021/es800367m?isMac=289642>
Water: Yet Another Reason to Push for Wind and Solar
Source GallonsPer kWh
Wind 0.001
PV Solar 0.030
Nuclear 0.62
Coal 0.49
Oil 0.43
Hydro 18.27
Gipe, Paul. “Wind Energy Comes of Age,” 1995 <http://www.awea.org/faq/water.html>