Public Content Library

Summary

In August of 2017, I presented material to the IDEA detailing the methods for reporting potable water savings associated with district energy systems and energy efficient retrofits. The presentation was well received but many questions were posed by the audience about the use of hydroelectric energy and the water consumption associated with it. This presentation readdresses the reporting of water savings given new and more recent data sources and in the light of the audience feedback. Specifically, I address the percentage of water evaporation from reservoirs that can be directly attributed to electrical generation. Additionally, I provide case-study examples of project water savings utilizing the methods I describe. The consumption of potable water in the United States for HVAC and power generation heat rejection is staggering. Over half our potable water is utilized for commercial and industrial heat rejection, more than irrigation or any other use. With the increasing electrical appetite of the United States, we are rapidly running out of water due to industrial demands. Distributed generation, energy efficiency and thermal load shifting are some of the only effective methods of total water conservation and all are hallmarks of district energy. This presentation addresses the total effectiveness of several water conservation methods, including air cooled systems, thermal load shifting and distributed generation as well as briefly touch on the site and source accounting methodology used to measure the effectiveness of each water conservation method. The presentation culminates with the exploration of several evaluations of the total water savings potential of specific energy conservation projects. The project case studies cover a variety of energy conservation technologies and strategies widely available to the district energy community.

Session 4A: Optimizing Energy & Water - The Energy Water Nexus

Speakers

Seth Kraal, Jacobs Engineering Group