Thirsty Energy, Hungry Water: Balancing the Resource Equation

by Sonora Hill , Senior Portfolio Innovation Manager at Imagine H2O

Energy and water form a fundamental nexus in our modern world. These resources are inextricably connected to economic development, food production, and environmental sustainability. This intricate relationship, that could be compared to some symbiotic relationships, hinges on a delicate balance between consumption and production of both water and energy.

The energy sector guzzles water to generate electricity derived from fossil fuels and renewable energy. Meanwhile the water sector consumes a staggering amount of energy to store, treat and distribute water. There has been–and always will be–a need for both resources to be produced and consumed in harmony.?

In the face of a warming world, this historically harmonious balance is at risk. It’s clear that the industry’s laser focus on the clean energy transition, combined with the current water crisis, has the potential to wreak havoc on the unique relationship between water and energy. Those of us working on climate issues must ask ourselves an important question. Can we reconcile how thirsty the energy sector is with how power-hungry the water sector is in the midst of a water crisis driven by climate change? My answer is yes: we just need to learn how to balance the resource equation.

Energy is a thirsty business

Electricity production, whether from fossil fues or renewable energy sources demands vast amounts of water to generate steam for turbines, cool nuclear power plants, and more. In 2021 alone, the global energy system withdrew 370 billion cubic metres (bcm) of freshwater: roughly 10% of total global freshwater withdrawals. That’s enough water to support New York City for 267 years, and it’s only forecasted to increase. That’s a lot of water.?

Fossil fuels are known to be water intensive, and in 2023, 60% of the electricity generation in the US relied on these thirsty giants. That’s a problem and a problem that climate innovators are tackling at a time when we need it most. Companies like Infinite Cooling are pioneering opportunities to reduce water usage in energy production by capturing water in cooling towers that would otherwise be lost to cooling tower plumes. Infinite Cooling's technology offers a critical stopgap, reducing the water footprint of energy production while we are still heavily reliant on fossil fuels.

Looking forward, with fewer fossil fuels being used in electricity generation, it seems logical that less water would be consumed for energy production. However, select renewable energy sources are actually some of the biggest water users out there. Cooling nuclear power plants, irrigating bioenergy crops and producing hydrogen through electrolysis requires immense amounts of water. Hydropower wouldn’t even exist without a consistent flow of water.

So what happens when the water that we rely on to generate electricity using renewable sources is at risk? Hydropower electricity production halts, and nuclear power plants (lacking the water to safely cool their reactors) are required to shut down. Energy suppliers are forced to replace the lost energy with sources that may be more expensive, less clean and more water intensive. Water may very well be the limiting factor in the total transition to renewable energy.

However, the landscape is shifting, and we are seeing that it is possible to strike a water-energy balance. Some renewable energy sources such as solar and wind are actually less water intensive than electricity derived from both fossil fuels and nuclear power. Companies are getting creative to harness the power of hydropower in the face of droughts and unpredictable water resources. Imagine H2O, a global non-profit water accelerator program, supports companies like Emrgy and Natel Energy which have designed low-cost turbines that can be deployed throughout water delivery systems such as canals and channels. This approach keeps power flowing even when reservoir levels dwindle, providing a crucial renewable energy source even during dry times.

California successfully maintained the fine balance between energy production and water resource availability in March and April of this year. For 30 days in a 38-day stretch, California supplied 100% of its energy demand with renewable energy, including wind, solar, geothermal and hydropower for up to 6 hours each day. This accomplishment came during an El Nino year, in which the accumulated rainfall in California for the 2023/2024 water year to date was at 104% of average.?

Though undeniably impressive, this milestone was built on the foundation of sufficient water resources– a foundation that is not guaranteed in future years. As more states embrace the clean energy transition, it’s becoming increasingly clear that water is the unsuspected variable in balancing the resource equation.The pathway to lowering global emissions depends on striking the balance between deploying low emission and low water intensive solutions.?

Water is very power-hungry

Water, similar to its symbiotic counterpart (energy), consumes energy at a staggering rate, contributing up to 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions. Energy is required to both treat wastewater into drinking water, and then to transport both wastewater and freshwater through vast networks of pipes.

The journey from source to tap is surprisingly energy-intensive. Pumping water through miles of pipes to treatment plants and end users requires an immense amount of energy. This burden is compounded by leaks – a silent thief that steals both water and energy. Experts estimate that globally, up to 34% of water is lost during distribution – an avoidable waste fueled by leaky pipes and other non-revenue water challenges.?

This seemingly low hanging fruit has not gone unnoticed. Utilities are bringing both capital and operating dollars to address this challenge, and leak detection solutions are abundant and well poised to solve this problem. ASTERRA, a startup that harnesses the power of satellites to detect leaks from space, has saved over 1,000,000 MWH of energy through its leak detection technology. That’s equivalent to the amount of energy produced by one nuclear power plant running continuously for six months; a significant step in the sustainable management of both energy and water.

Perhaps the hungriest of all, desalination consumes a colossal amount of energy to generate drinking water from ocean water. Removing salts and other minerals from water is highly energy intensive and makes broad adoption of desalination technologies prohibitive due to cost. However, as droughts become more commonplace, desalination is being forced into center stage as communities struggle to find resilient water sources.

To revolutionize the desalination dilemma, the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI) has secured over $100 million since 2019 from the US Department of Energy (check out this MCJ podcast with NAWI’s Executive Director, Peter Fiske). Through public-private partnerships with over 180 organizations, NAWI has become a major force behind the development of cost-effective, energy-efficient, and low-emission desalination technologies, turning this once-unwieldy solution into a viable option for water security.?

The Balance Must Exist

The intricate balance between energy and water is undeniable. While the clean energy transition hinges on responsible water usage, the impact of climate change on this delicate balance remains uncertain. As we move forward, the question remains, what will tip the scales towards a sustainable future and what will break the balance when the energy transition collides with a water crisis?