Climate-Energy-Water Synthesis

 

 

Climate is changing throughout the United States and in the Great Lakes region in particular.  This will not only affect the quantity and quality of US water resources but it will also impact every sector and industry that relies on water to perform its functions. Thermoelectric power in the US consumes the most water out of all other sectors and therefore must anticipate future challenges in power production under drier conditions.

With a warming climate, precipitation will most likely increase but runoff will be reduced. Although wintertime runoff will increase due to more melting from higher temperatures, there will be less runoff in summer months which will have significant consequences. As water temperatures increase in summer and flows decrease, water quality will most likely degrade from greater bacterial growth and stagnant conditions. This will not only affect the natural environment but poor water quality also limits the resource for use in industrial processes.

Again, thermoelectric power consumes the most water resources out of any sector and additionally, the processes in power production require primarily freshwater.  Freshwater is already limited and will only become more scarce with rising temperatures.  As water quality degrades, more intensive purifying measures will have to be taken. This will be costly to both industry and also the environment if harmful externalities result from these intensified processes. Though the outlook seems grim, some of these challenges could be avoided with more efficient energy production.