Tackling Water Usage in Data Centers
The seven-year-long California dry spell that finished in mid-2019 paired with the wildfires that followed are only two late occasions that have projected a focus on the extensive outcomes of deteriorating water deficiencies. Those worries have been compounded by a lack of certainty of the impact of climate change on water supplies. Under particular scrutiny is the data center market sector as, just in the U.S., data centers are expected to have consumed an estimated 174 billion gallons of water in 2020[1]. For reference, a 15-megawatt data center can use up to 360,000 gallons of water in just one day. […]
Decreased Water Flow Projected to Colorado River Basin
Colorado is no stranger to drought especially as the current one is closing in on 20 years with no trajectory change in sight. The drought is the second worst 20-year period in the past 1,200 years, according to Bradley Udall, a senior climate and water scientist at Colorado State University’s Colorado Water Center. This summer/fall alone had some of the hottest spells on record and the worst wildfire season ever. “Aridification” is what Udall formally calls the situation that is currently occurring in the western U.S. But perhaps more accurately, he calls it hot drought which is heat-induced lack of […]
Water Use in US Forecasted to Decline
According to the recently released report, Water: United States by Freedonia Focus Reports, water use in the US is forecasted to decline 1.1% per year through 2024. The COVID-19 pandemic is expected to significantly reduce the water use in power generation and manufacturing facilities due to the contraction in manufacturing shipments, electricity generation, and site shutdowns. Water use is expected to see a 5.1% annual drop from 2019 levels with water use in utilities expected to fall 5.5% and use in manufacturing to fall 6.2%.[1] The economic downturn associated with the pandemic is forecasted to cause a 7.7% decline in manufacturing […]
Ways to Accelerate Facility Sustainability Investments
Given the trends occurring toward needing to operate in a low carbon, limited resource, and high stakeholder expectation’s world, now is the time to make sure that the company’s facilities have optimized their energy, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, water and wastewater. Thanks to the work by Nick Martin and his team, they have provided a five step facilities optimization strategy guide.[1] Companies should approach optimization in a systematic way working inside-out. For instance, with energy and carbon, the following progression is recommended for a facility to pursue decarbonization: Reduce the energy demand. Evaluate lower carbon energy sourcing options both onsite […]
Water Futures Join Wall Street
Water has now joined oil, gold, and other commodities traded on Wall Street, highlighting worries that the life-sustaining natural resource may become scarce across more of the world. The contracts, a first of their kind in the U.S., were announced in September of this year as heat and wildfires ravaged the U.S. West Coast and as California was emerging from an eight-year drought. They are meant to serve both as a hedge for big water consumers, such as almond farmers and electric utilities, against water prices fluctuations as well a scarcity gauge for investors worldwide. Farmers, hedge funds and municipalities […]