July 19th, 2012
Via Aguanomics, one student’s look at California’s watergy dilemma: The Edmonston Pumping Station pushes water 2,000 feet over the Tehachapi Mountains and into Los Angeles at 142,000 gallons per minute, a feat unrivaled any other water system in the world. The annual energy expenditure to transport this water would be enough to power a third […]
Read more »Reflecting On The Century Of Water: How Coal And Nuclear Are Sucking Up Our Fresh Water
July 3rd, 2012
Via Think Progress, another look at a recent report on the watergy nexus: The 20th century was characterized by the frenzied acquisition, storage, and use of oil. But many experts believe that the 21st century will be remembered as the century of water. One of the most alarming emerging issues is the symbiotic — and […]
Read more »June 30th, 2012
Via River Network, some thoughts on a new report examining the water footprint of power generation: What goes into our grid matters a lot. Thermoelectric energy is the fastest growing use of water in the country. Reservoirs used for hydropower evaporate more water than all of the cooling towers in the country combined. Looked at […]
Read more »Water Grab In Kansas Oil Boom
June 12th, 2012
Via CNN’s Money page, a look at the watergy challenge in southern Kansas: In the farm country of southern Kansas, water is a precious commodity. And not just for farming — for fracking. In hydraulic fracturing, water is injected into the ground at a high pressure to help crack shale rock and bring oil to […]
Read more »June 7th, 2012
Via Energy Daily, a report that reduced river flows and warmer water due to climate change will lead to power supply disruptions in Europe. As the article notes: “…A European Commission-funded study conducted in part by the Wageningen University and Research Center in the Netherlands predicted thermoelectric power generating capacity from 2031-60 will decrease 6-19 […]
Read more »The Watergy Nexus Down Under: Australia’s Agriculture And Energy Sectors Clash Over Water
May 4th, 2012
Courtesy of Circle of Blue, a look at Australia’s growing watergy crisis: The scale and rapid development of Australia’s coal seam gas industry is changing the social fabric of the country’s small towns and farming regions. Drilling has bruised agriculture’s ego by challenging the decades-long idea that rural areas should be quiet places where landowners […]
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