When people use the internet, they rely on a data center to store, manage and disseminate information. To keep these centers running efficiently, a tremendous amount of energy and water are required, providing yet another example of the important nexus between water and energy resources. Digital cryptocurrencies cause similar concerns. How Do Data Centers Use […]
Hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, is a multistep extraction process in which fossil fuel-bearing rock formations are drilled and fractured using huge amounts of water. Oil and gas reserves that were at one time considered inaccessible are now available to be exploited. While the fracking process has expanded oil and gas development, it has also expanded […]
Water is deeply intertwined with electricity production. In the past, researchers have estimated the large volumes of cooling water used by different kinds of power plants, but those estimates don’t usually take into account the many other thirsty steps required to generate electricity, from extracting fuels, to manufacturing all the parts of a power plant. Estimating […]
Food, water and energy systems are intimately connected with each other and water is a crucial component to making food and energy systems work. It takes water to grow crops and produce energy and it takes a lot of energy to treat and move water. Food and energy are equally dependent upon each other. The […]
Energy production uses a lot of water in both its forms – electricity and transportation fuels. It takes a lot of virtual water to make electricity, especially for thermoelectric power production. It also takes water to refine transportation fuels. So saving energy also save water and vice versa. Energy Production and Virtual Water Use In […]
