(graph courtesy of UCS) Freshwater is a critical resource and the supply is rapidly dwindling in an era of climate change. The demand for water far exceeds the rate of natural replenishment, leaving a seriously depleted water table and increased conflict over water rights in many regions. The bulk of our freshwater use is for cooling in power plants and irrigation in large-scale agriculture. In this discussion, John Rogers focuses especially on the problem of power plants. In the United States, 90 percent of electricity comes from conventional hermoelectric power plants—coal, nuclear, natural gas, and oil, and such technologies depend on freshwater cooling. Much of that freshwater is wasted. In a time of critical loss of freshwater, the deployment of alternative energy systems cannot be postponed.

Meet John Rogers

Water-Smart Power: Strengthening the U.S. Electricity System in a Warming World—A Report of the Energy and Water in a Warming World Initiative

some UCS background on freshwater use by power plants

from the UCS: The Energy-Water Collision: Ten Things You Should Know

Mr. Rogers formerly managed the Northeast Clean Energy Project, working to implement a range of clean energy and climate policies. He worked primarily on renewable electricity standards and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. He serves on the board of directors of the U.S. Offshore Wind Collaborative and of RENEW, an organization that promotes renewable energy in New England. He also serves on the advisory boards of several nonprofit organizations promoting U.S. renewable energy and global energy access.