The Water/Energy connection

[Marn-Yee Lee]

---------- Forwarded message ----------

From: Marn-Yee Lee <marny...@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Apr 28, 2008 at 8:57 PM
Subject: The Water/Energy connection
To: mv-sust-task...@googlegroups.com


Here are some info I found on this topic.  Potentially useful for tying in water saving measures to the goal of the TF "reducing GHG emission".

1. Env Defense Fund blog: how is water and energy related?
http://environmentaldefenseblogs.org/climate411/2007/11/07/water_and_energy/

The water supply sector uses large amounts of energy to transport, treat, and deliver water. On the flip side, vast quantities of water are required to generate power. (For the purpose of our TF, the former is applicable.)   .... in California supplying municipal water accounted for almost 20 percent of the electricity used in the state [PDF], 30 percent of its natural
gas, and 88 billion gallons of diesel fuel. On average, 75 percent of the cost of municipal water comes from the electricity used to capture, treat, distribute, and use the water. After the water is used, more energy is required to treat the wastewater.

2. CEC Water-Energy Relationship [PDF]
As water demand grows, so grows energy demand.  The state water plan concludes that the largest single new supply available for
meeting this expected growth in water demand over the next 25 years is water use efficiency. The remainder must be provided by the development of new water supplies including water recycling, and desalination of both brackish and seawater, all of which will increase energy demand over current levels.

Worse, the times when the highest energy intensity water supply options will be most needed are most likely to occur during multi-year drought periods when surface water supplies are low and groundwater levels drop, requiring even more energy for pumping each gallon of water. To compound the problem, reduced surface water supplies and snowpack in high elevations are likely to reduce the availability of valuable hydroelectric supplies. Yet, these are also the times when the most aggressive water conservation efforts are implemented, reducing overall water use, which helps reduce the total impact on energy demand. Although the net effects of this dynamic are not fully understood....  staff's analysis shows that significant energy benefits can be reaped through the twin goals of the efficient use of water by end users and the efficient use of energy by water systems.

The following essential elements have been identified for a successful program.
1. Save energy by saving water.
2. Reduce water system net power requirements.

#1 e.g. Target end user water efficiency measures that result in net energy savings – both on premises and in the water use cycle. For example, in addition to programs that save hot water, include programs that seek to maximize cold water savings in homes and businesses and count the net energy benefits attributable to a unit of avoided water consumption embedded in the entire water use cycle.

3. CPUC energy-water processes
Industry, Agriculture and Water/Wastewater treatment consume approximately one-third of the electricity used in California.

Energy represents the largest controllable cost of providing water or wastewater services to the public. Most facilities were designed and built when energy costs were not a concern. If you have not fully investigated the applicability of modern technology, you probably are wasting a large amount of money without realizing it-money that can be used for meeting new water quality requirements, replacing aging pipes or equipment, or even hiring new staff.

-Marn Yee
beingsustainable.blogspot.com
busythinking.blogspot.com

--
Marn-Yee Lee
beingsustainable.blogspot.com
busythinking.blogspot.com.

[Cynthia Kapphahn]

Thanks!

At 04:29 AM 4/29/2008, you wrote:

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Marn-Yee Lee <marny...@gmail.com>
Date: Mon, Apr 28, 2008 at 8:57 PM
Subject: The Water/Energy connection
To: mv-sust-task...@googlegroups.com


Here are some info I found on this topic.  Potentially useful for tying in water saving measures to the goal of the TF "reducing GHG emission".

1. Env Defense Fund blog: how is water and energy related?
http://environmentaldefenseblogs.org/climate411/2007/11/07/water_and_energy/

The water supply sector uses large amounts of energy to transport, treat, and deliver water. On the flip side, vast quantities of water are required to generate power. (For the purpose of our TF, the former is applicable.)   .... in California supplying municipal water accounted for almost 20 percent of the electricity used in the state [PDF], 30 percent of its natural
gas, and 88 billion gallons of diesel fuel. On average, 75 percent of the cost of municipal water comes from the electricity used to capture, treat, distribute, and use the water. After the water is used, more energy is required to treat the wastewater.

2. CEC Water-Energy Relationship [PDF]
As water demand grows, so grows energy demand.  The state water plan concludes that the largest single new supply available for
meeting this expected growth in water demand over the next 25 years is water use efficiency. The remainder must be provided by the development of new water supplies including water recycling, and desalination of both brackish and seawater, all of which will increase energy demand over current levels.

Worse, the times when the highest energy intensity water supply options will be most needed are most likely to occur during multi-year drought periods when surface water supplies are low and groundwater levels drop, requiring even more energy for pumping each gallon of water. To compound the problem, reduced surface water supplies and snowpack in high elevations are likely to reduce the availability of valuable hydroelectric supplies. Yet, these are also the times when the most aggressive water conservation efforts are implemented, reducing overall water use, which helps reduce the total impact on energy demand. Although the net effects of this dynamic are not fully understood....  staff's analysis shows that significant energy benefits can be reaped through the twin goals of the efficient use of water by end users and the efficient use of energy by water systems.

The following essential elements have been identified for a successful program.
1. Save energy by saving water.
2. Reduce water system net power requirements.

#1 e.g. Target end user water efficiency measures that result in net energy savings - both on premises and in the water use cycle. For example, in addition to programs that save hot water, include programs that seek to maximize cold water savings in homes and businesses and count the net energy benefits attributable to a unit of avoided water consumption embedded in the entire water use cycle.

[David Oliver]

Are we meeting in the hospital in a conference room ?

---

From: mv-sust-task-...@googlegroups.com [mailto:mv-sust-task-...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Cynthia Kapphahn
Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 6:15 AM
To: mv-sust-task-...@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: The Water/Energy connection

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