EU Consultation on Energy Networks - Draft Response | 46 comments (46 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

water (none / 1)

I don't see anything in here about the relationship between water and energy networks. It might not be obvious at first glance, but there is a very close relationship between the two, because most forms of power distribution require substantial amounts of water (mainly for the cooling system in a coal, oil, or nuclear plant), while the development of water resources may require substantial energy inputs for pumping, desalination, etc. About 40% of U.S. fresh water is used for power plant cooling and other energy-related items--with most of that being returned to the supply system, but the point is you need the water in the first place.
http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/coalpower/ewr/water/power-gen.html

Over on this side of the pond there is considerable concern that decisions about these two resources are being made in separate forums by separate players...not that we're doing anything besides just worrying about it...

by asdf on Sun Mar 29th, 2009 at 01:16:46 PM EST

Re: water (none / 0)

Well, unlike in the US, there is no dry place in Europe which is far from the sea, so this isn't really a problem.

Peak oil is not an energy crisis. It is a liquid fuel crisis.

by Starvid on Sun Mar 29th, 2009 at 01:47:28 PM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: water (none / 0)

Yes, that's true--assuming that all thermal power plants are built on coastlines and cooled with seawater, and that the environmental effects of local heating of the water are acceptable. However, current plants aren't built by the sea, they're built near the consumers, so when you get a drought then the power supply drops off. This happened in 2006, for example.

The point is that the siting of power plants has a big effect on the distribution network...

by asdf on Mon Mar 30th, 2009 at 08:37:20 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: water (none / 0)

All our powerplants are built on the coast, at least the big thermal ones. The small thermal ones are heat or cogen plants and are built in the cities and towns, but in a hot climate they are obviously not needed in the same way.

I can also add that the consumers are far more often near the coast in Europe compared to the US. After all, why would anyone like to live far from water?

When it comes to heating sea water, that's not problem at all, at least not in the cool Baltic sea. Not far from my home we dump aout 6000 MW thermal into the sea. To see how it would affect the environment, we started a research project when the plants was built, the world unique so called Biotestsjön, the Bio Test Lake.

No negative effects have been found, though the metabolism of the fish is sped up.