The more we protect water, the more we can produce cheap and reliable power.
By Chetan Mistry, strategy and marketing manager at Xylem Africa
ENERGY powers the world. Water keeps it alive. These resources are under severe strain as urban areas grow and modernisation expands to create greater possibilities for our future. Yet, while energy and water are essential, few realise they are closely connected. Nations that look after their water also create more ways to improve energy output and resilience.
“Water and energy depend on each other,” says Chetan Mistry, strategy and marketing manager at Xylem Africa.
“You need energy to clean water and pump it to where people can use it. You need water to help generate energy and cool energy systems. If there are water shortages or water quality problems, most energy infrastructure will fail. While we can create energy through many ingenious techniques, we cannot create water and must protect it.”
Here are three reasons that demonstrate the Water-Energy nexus:
Energy production relies on water
Both coal and nuclear power use water to generate steam that powers electricity-generating turbines. Hydroelectric power uses moving water to move turbines. Wind and solar manufacturers use water in component manufacture. Oil and gas extraction processes use considerable amounts of water. Fracking a single well for shale gas, uses nearly 57 million litres of water on average.
Coal-fired power stations use a lot of water
Coal-fired power stations consume enormous amounts of water. Producing one megawatt-hour of energy can require as much as 40 000 litres of water. South Africa’s current generation capacity is 58 000 megawatts. As water levels and availability deplete, the effectiveness of coal-fired power stations reduces. Renewable energy systems also have water demands, but pale compared to coal extraction and energy processes thereby posing far smaller pollution risks to water sources.
Water+Power impacts GDP
Electricity is a crucial part of GDP; experts estimate that power generation represents about 15% of South Africa’s GDP. Even though power generation is not the thirstiest sector—it consumes around 2% of the country’s water—it will need more water in the future. If there are water shortages, power will be one of the groups taking precedence.
“There is healthy debate about which power generation options are the best for our future,” says Mistry, “but water often gets left out of the conversation even though it is one of the best ways to improve energy yields and profitability. We can make big gains for both water and energy by using energy-efficient pumping solutions, smarter water technologies, and digital water management platforms. And when we prioritise protecting our local water sources such as our dams, rivers and wetlands, we are investing indirectly in cheap and efficient power.”
Whether it’s power to clean sewage at wastewater sites, pumping clean water to our homes, spinning generation units and cool power equipment, or mining energy resources, energy relies on water. Water also creates unique opportunities for clean, reliable, and cheap energy, such as micro-hydroelectric systems that can be used on industrial sites. But without clean and reliable water sources, all energy options start to dry up.
Without water, there is no energy, and without energy, there is no water. When we respect the Water-Energy nexus, we create a better future.
