California
is a global leader in the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. The state is now studying the impact of reductions in the use of water in reducingthe load on the state’s power grid.
When most of us think of slowing global
warming, we think of reducing car exhaust and power plant emissions – limiting
activities that involve combusting fossil fuels. But we rarely draw the
connection between the production of energy and another important resource:
water.
Yet in California, 20% of the state’s
electricity and 30% of the natural gas that isn’t used by power plants goes to
the water system – from pumping it for delivery to disposing of wastewater.
Could saving water play a significant role in addressing climate change? And,
if so, could we achieve these savings without incurring significant costs?
Our analysis showed that the quantity of
electricity saved statewide through reducing urban water use by 25% in 2015 was
roughly equivalent to all of the electricity saved by all of the energy
efficiency programs from the state’s four major investor-owned energy utilities
in 2015. The conclusion: energy savings from water conservation are
significant.
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