Book Description

This assessment estimates the impact of future national energy development on water resources. Energy development would include various types of electric power plants, production of synthetic fuels, coal and uranium mining, oil and gas extraction, and other conversion processes. The Energy Analysis Program at LBL has conducted this analysis for its assigned region, the states of California and Nevada. The objective of this study is to determine water requirements of energy technologies and their implications, with emphasis on emerging technologies for aggregated subareas (ASA) in California. The first phase of this study provides energy-supply projections and corresponding demands for water resources as perceived by regional and state groups responsible for or involved in energy planning in California and Nevada. The second phase of the study is designed to calculate the water requirements for the levels of energy development in California as specified by a Department of Energy scenario for the year 2000 and by utility projections as reported by the Federal Power Commission for 1985. The implications of these water requirements on competing water users are explored briefly. 24 references.