Thursday, February 27, 2014

A Cross-Sector Conversation on the Water-Energy Nexus


If the water sector could talk to the power sector, what would that conversation be like?  Charting New Waters and their very good report hints at what should be the major discussion themes, Building Resilient Utilities: How Water and Electric Utilities Can Co-Create Their Futures (link).  A table from the report: 

Water Sector Questions for the Electric Power Sector
Electric Power Sector Messages for the Water Sector
Which stakeholders in your sector are essential to facilitating cross-sector integration?
The electric power sector is extremely complex and must be understood locally, regionally, and nationally, particularly in terms of its regulation by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.
How and to what extent is water factored into your long-term planning?
Use caution in emulating rate structures from the power sector, and only adopt proven methods.
How can we help you address the water challenges you face?
There is real potential for the water sector to help have peak electricity demand.
What challenges does distributed generation pose to your business model?
There is significant unmet potential for the use of reclaimed water for thermoelectric power plant cooling.
How can interconnection and rate-setting processes be streamlined?
Power plant waste heat could be a useful resource for wastewater treatment plants.
What would it take to achieve the co-location of water and power generation facilities?
Conduct careful analysis of the economics of scale for distributed energy generation.
How Can we coordinate to minimize deleterious impacts to air, water, and land resources?
A coordinated cross-sector research and development agenda could help prevent unintended consequences.
How can we work together to eliminate the flaring of usable gas?

 

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