Jim McMahon; Mirka della Cava; Larry Dale; Camilla Dunham Whitehead

Contact: Jim McMahon, (510) 486-6049, jemcmahon@lbl.gov

Role in the Energy-Water Nexus

U.S. energy sustainability is a complex puzzle of interlocking parts. Federally supported research and development (R&D) is being carried out to address key pieces of this puzzle including advanced fossil and nuclear energy technologies, energy efficiency, infrastructure systems, pollution control and prevention, and renewable and alternative energy. However, one critical component of the R&D mix is missing—water. Currently, the Department of Energy’s national laboratories are working together as the Energy-Water Nexus Team to support a national, integrated energy-water R&D program directed specifically at understanding the intimate relationship between energy and water.

WETT is a participating member of the multi-lab Energy-Water Nexus Team. This Team is engaged in informing government agencies and other parties of the need for such a program.

The Team is also engaged in a DOE sponsored roadmap exercise designed to assess needs for the nation in the energy-water arena and to identify science and technology solutions. LBNL’s WETT Team has a unique role within the roadmap process to present the economic issues that will inevitably accompany the assessed needs and solutions and to work with the University of New Mexico’s Utton Center to identify economic and legal barriers to successful application of potential technological solutions.

Research Objectives

Of significant concern to the DOE is the question of whether water supplies will be sufficient to meet US energy demands in 20 years. The energy industry must compete for water with agriculture, other industries, and domestic use. Population is expected to increase significantly while fresh water supplies are not. At the same time, climate variability and energy-industry operations could impact water supplies, quality, and energy demand. Most states expect to be faced with water shortages in the next 10 years. The objective of the DOE roadmap, with support from the national laboratories, is to assess how technology can help to identify and make available new sources of water to meet the growing demands.

Approach

To sustain energy production, the United States must gain a detailed understanding of the interdependencies of water-reliant systems, balance the needs of all users, and develop technologies to reduce water use and loss. The Energy-Water Nexus Team is working to help DOE formulate a focused research and development program that integrates the following three components: (1) prediction and decision support, (2) science and technological innovation, and (3) technology transfer and implementation. Prediction and Decision Support would focus on creating a suite of databases and decision tools to predict energy impacts on water quality and quantity, forecast water and energy supply and demand on a regional basis, and identify trouble spots by analyzing “what if” scenarios. These tools would be based on high-performance computer models that link the many systems and forces that influence water and energy resources, such as climate change, land-use change, regional hydrological cycles, populatin growth and movement, energy use, infrastructures, and regulatory and market forces. These likages would provide and unprecedented level of accuracy and allow decision makers to optimize the balance of water usage among stakeholders. Such predictive tools would be invaluable in guiding technology investments, predicting impacts of policy and regulatory decisions, and aiding economic development plans.

Science and Technological Innovation would focus on minimizing the impact of energy production on water quality and availability and reducing the amount of energy required for treating and distributing water. Science and technological innovations could be directed at (1) treating and reusing non-potable process (“gray”) water in power production; (2) accessing currently unused water sources, such as brackish aquifers; (3) reducing cooling water used by thermal electricity-generating power plants; (4) delivering water and energy more efficiently to prevent losses; and (5) minimizing water-related impacts from mining, energy production and use, and disposal of solid byproducts. Research could also be directed at reducing the energy required to treat, pump, and distribute water, including improvements in wastewater treatment processes and irrigation technology.

Technology Transfer and Implementation will succeed best with the early formation of stakeholder teams that can provide real-world feedback, test the decision support systems, prototype technological innovations, and implement solutions quickly. The multi-laboratory Energy-Water Nexus Team will lead this technology component through collaboration with universities that conduct research and development; state and federal agencies responsible for water, energy, and environmental management; and industries and consortia involved in the production and/or distribution of water and energy.

Accomplishments

LBNL’s WETT has participated as an observer in DOE’s three regional workshops designed to assess the needs. By the end of 2006, the labs participating in the DOE Energy-Water Nexus Team will have drafted an Energy-Water Science and Technology Roadmap report. LBNL is a lead contributor to the economic and policy analysis provided in that report.

Related Publications

Publications at this time include:

• Report to Congress, http://domenici.senate.gov/news/record.cfm?id=269325, http://www.sandia.gov/energy-water/congress_report.htm
• Energy-Water Science and Technology Roadmap Report

Acknowledgements

The work is supported by the U.S. Department of Energy via Sandia National Laboratory.

The WETT Team collaborated with 11 other national laboratories, the DOE, the Utton Center (at University of New Mexico, School of Law), and many water and energy experts across the country.