While reading the NRDC report I posted on 16 July 2007 I encountered another report of interest, Energy Down the Drain, authored by Ronnie Cohen and Barry Nelson of the NRDC and Gary Wolff of the Pacific Institute and released in August 2004. Its subtitle is the Hidden Costs of California's Water Supply but don't be fooled - although it discusses California, the report covers a lot more.
Here are the chapter titles:
- The High Cost of Energy Use in Western Water Systems
- The Connections Between Water and Energy
- San Diego County - Energy and Urban Water
- Westlands (CA) Water District - Energy and Agricultural Water
- Columbia River Basin - Energy and Hydropower
- Recommendations for Water Policy
There are three appendices: Urban Model Description; San Diego Case Study Data Sources and Assumptions; Agricultural Model Description.
One interesting factoid: the amount of electricity required to deliver residential water in SoCal is equal to one-third the total average household electric use in SoCal.
Here in the Pacific Northwest, we get about 60% of our electricity from hydroelectric power.
You can read the executive summary and downlaod the entire report below.
Download energy_down_the_drain.pdf
Download nrdc_energy_down_the_drain_executive_summary.htm
Yeah, maybe we should conflate/coordinate energy planning, water planning and...land use planning. What a concept!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY, NELSON MANDELA!
"Inside every silver lining there's a dark cloud." -- George Carlin
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