Archive for March, 2011

Water-Energy-Climate Nexus in Norway: Power Disruptions and Low Hydro Reserves

Via The River Network, an interesting look at watergy challenges currently impacting Norway: The interconnections between water, energy and climate change cannot be made more perfectly clear than by the current conditions of Norway. With the nation relying almost entirely on hydroelectricity, coupled with massively depleted hydro reservoirs, the temporary shut down of seven neighboring […]

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Energy’s Huge Slice Of Our Water Footprint Pie

Via National Geographic, a look at energy’s huge slice of our water footprint pie: We don’t think much about water when we flick on a light, power up our computer, or open the fridge for a drink. But there’s some H20 hiding behind every activity that uses energy – which, of course, includes almost everything […]

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As Water Scarcity Risks Grow, Investors Persuade Electric Utilities to Disclose Water Management Plans

Via Water Efficiency Journal, a report on how – in response to shareholder requests – three leading electric utilities (Dominion, Southern and PPL) have agreed to significantly expand reporting and disclosure on water availability risks and plans for mitigating those risks.  As the article notes: “…The agreements come as prolonged droughts, growing water demand and […]

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Water Intensities of Power Generation: Where The Wind Blows

Via CleanTechies blog, an interesting analysis of the water intensities of power generation and the upside thereof related to wind power: Amongst the many oft-repeated arguments against wind power — that it is intermittent, unreliable, expensive, noisy, dangerous to wildlife, or aesthetically unappealing — one argument you will not hear from wind power detractors is […]

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The Thirsty Dragon: Watts, Water, and Workers

Courtesy of The Circle of Blue, a detailed look at China’s ambitious water conservation and transfer program, started in 2003, to help hold off the looming confrontation between its scarce water reserves and growing coal-based industrial sector.  As the article notes: “…On Sept. 7, 2007, during a morning briefing in Beijing on China’s newest five-year […]

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About This Blog And Its Author
As the scarcity of water and energy continues to grow, the linkage between these two critical resources will become more defined and even more acute in the months ahead.  This blog is committed to analyzing and referencing articles, reports, and interviews that can help unlock the nascent, complex and expanding linkages between water and energy -- The Watergy Nexus -- and will endeavor to provide a central clearinghouse for insightful articles and comments for all to consider.

Educated at Yale University (Bachelor of Arts - History) and Harvard (Master in Public Policy - International Development), Monty Simus has held a lifelong interest in environmental and conservation issues, primarily as they relate to freshwater scarcity, renewable energy, and national park policy.  Working from a water-scarce base in Las Vegas with his wife and son, he is the founder of Water Politics, an organization dedicated to the identification and analysis of geopolitical water issues arising from the world’s growing and vast water deficits, and is also a co-founder of SmartMarkets, an eco-preneurial venture that applies web 2.0 technology and online social networking innovations to motivate energy & water conservation.  He previously worked for an independent power producer in Central Asia; co-authored an article appearing in the Summer 2010 issue of the Tulane Environmental Law Journal, titled: “The Water Ethic: The Inexorable Birth Of A Certain Alienable Right”; and authored an article appearing in the inaugural issue of Johns Hopkins University's Global Water Magazine in July 2010 titled: “H2Own: The Water Ethic and an Equitable Market for the Exchange of Individual Water Efficiency Credits.”