The challenge facing humanity / Michael E. Weber

The ability to create an integrated system of energy + water + food is the challenge facing humanity

In July 2012, three regional power grids in India failed. The fault caused the most extensive blackout ever to occur on Earth. More than 620 million people, 9% of the Earth's population, remain without electricity. The cause of the failure was an overload on the network due to a lack of water for growing food. Due to severe drought, farmers have had to use more and more electric pumps to draw groundwater for irrigation from ever-increasing depths. The pumps, which were activated in March under the blazing sun, increased the load on the power plants. At the same time, due to the low levels of the water level, the electricity output in India's hydroelectric dams has decreased.
And if that wasn't enough, the flood waters that flooded the fields in the first months of that year flowed mountains of silt into the reservoirs of the dams and reduced their capacity. And so, a population larger than the population of Europe as a whole, and double the population of the USA, suddenly found itself in the dark.
Amazingly, California is also facing similar problems that originate from the connection between energy, water and food. Declining winter snowpack, record-breaking drought and ongoing development in the Colorado River Basin have reduced the amount of water flowing in Central California's rivers by a third. California produces half of the US's fruit, nut and vegetable crop, and almost a quarter of its dairy, and its farmers pump ground water in huge volumes. In the summer of 2014, farmers in some areas of California pumped double the amount of water they pumped for irrigation the year before. The Central Valley of California, which stretches for approximately 644 km, is sinking, literally, as the pumping of the groundwater beneath it expands. And precisely at this time, when the demand for energy increased, the electricity provider Southern California Edison closed two large nuclear power plants due to a lack of water to cool the reactors. At the same time, the city of San Diego's plan to build a water desalination plant on the ocean's coast was opposed by environmental activists who claimed that the facility's energy consumption would be excessively high.
Energy, water and food are the three most essential resources for our existence. And even though this fact is known and recognized by policy makers, the interdependence between these resources is not properly appreciated. Loads of demand in each of them may seriously damage the others. In this situation, our society is more fragile than we think, and we are not prepared at all to face the disaster that this may bring upon us.
And yet, we make fateful, once-in-a-generation decisions regarding power plants, water infrastructure and agricultural land, which will affect our lives for many decades, and thus we condemn ourselves to existence in a fragile system. A report by the International Energy Agency stated in 2014 that in order to meet the global demand for energy alone, we will have to invest 48 trillion dollars until 2035. The director general of the agency expressed concern "that the investments are not directed to appropriate channels" because we are not properly estimating the expected consequences.
An integrated approach to solving these weighty issues is urgently needed, rather than trying to solve each problem separately. Many of the world's population centers are located in drought-stricken areas, the energy systems encounter environmental constraints and increasing costs, and the food supply is struggling to meet the rising demand. The close relationship between food, water and energy stands in the background of the most difficult distressed areas in the world. The riots and revolutions in Libya and Syria, for example, were sparked by drought and rising food prices. We must untangle it to create more integrated systems and a more resilient society. But where do you start?

A complex system of risks and rewards
The late Nobel Laureate Richard E. Smalley of Rice University hinted at a possible course of action in a lecture he gave in 2003, in which he listed "the ten major problems facing humanity in the next 50 years." The list was ranked in descending order of importance: energy, water, food, environment, poverty, terrorism and wars, diseases, education, democracy, and overpopulation. The problems of energy, water and food starred at the top of the list because their solution would allow dealing with the problems indicated further down the list, one after the other. For example, the development of a wide variety of clean, reliable and available energy sources will enable an abundant supply of clean water. An abundance of clean water and energy will enable food production (through the production of fertilizers and fuel for tractors). And so on.
However, as inspiring as it is, Smalley's list misses two important things. First, energy, water and food are interdependent. And secondly, even if an abundance of one of them allows an abundance of the others, a lack of one of them may cause a lack of the others.
With unlimited energy, we will be able to satisfy the full demand for water, as we will be able to dewater the oceans, dig wells to great depths, and transport water across continents. And with unlimited water, we can produce all the energy we need, as we can build as many hydroelectric power stations as needed or irrigate vast fields of energy-producing crops. And with unlimited energy and water we can make the desert bloom, and establish closed farms (not under the sky) with high production capacity that will produce food throughout the year.
Of course, we do not live in a world with unlimited resources. Our world is full of constraints. And the likelihood that these constraints will lead to a chain of failures increases as the demand for resources increases with population growth, increased life expectancy and increasing consumption.
For example, the water level in Lake Mead near Las Vegas, which is fed by the Colorado River, recently dropped to an unprecedented low. The city draws its drinking water from the lake immediately through two pipes immersed in the lake, just like two drinking straws in a glass. If the water level continues to drop, it may drop to the level below these pipes. In that case, large agricultural communities located downstream could find themselves without water supplies, and the huge hydroelectric turbines built inside Hoover Dam, on the lake, would provide less electricity or even shut down altogether. The city of Las Vegas proposed to lay a third pipeline that would draw water from the bottom of the lake with an investment of almost a billion dollars. But even that probably won't be of much use. Scientists from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Hoya calculated and found that if the climate continues to change as expected and if the cities and farms do not limit the pumping of water from the Colorado, Lake Mead will dry up completely by 2021.
In Uruguay, government officials are faced with difficult decisions regarding the use of water from the country's reservoirs. In 2008, the water level in the Uruguay River, in the section behind the Salto Grande Dam, dropped to extremely low levels. The dam's power generation capacity is close to that of the Hoover Dam, but only three of its 14 turbines were in operation, as the residents of the area preferred to store the water for irrigating the fields or for municipal uses. The residents living along the river and the politicians who lead them had to choose between electricity, food or drinking water. Constraints in one of these areas entailed constraints in the other areas. Although the situation in Uruguay has improved, and for now the danger seems to have passed, a similar situation threatens other regions of the world. Similarly, some communities in drought-stricken Texas and New Mexico have recently banned the use of water for underground fracking to extract oil and gas, to save agricultural irrigation water.
About 80% of the water we consume is intended for agriculture, the source of our food. And almost 13% of the world's energy output is used for pumping, purifying, transporting, heating, cooling and disposing of water. Fertilizers produced from natural gas, pesticides produced from oil, and diesel fuel used to drive tractors and combines - all of these increase the amount of energy needed to produce food. Food manufacturing plants need huge amounts of energy for cooling, and produce products wrapped in plastic, made of petrochemical materials, to transport the food from the store to the home and to cook it, again, more energy is needed. It is a complicated and disorderly system of interdependent factors. Any disturbance in one of the parts of this fragile system may damage the whole.

technical solutions

It would be folly to build more and more power plants and water treatment facilities based on the same outdated design, to grow agricultural crops using the same outdated methods, or to continue drilling for oil and gas without taking into account that these activities affect each other. Fortunately, we can combine all three in environmentally friendly ways.
The first obvious step is to reduce waste. In the US, 25% or even more of all food consumed is thrown away. And since food production requires such large amounts of energy and water, if we reduce the amount of waste, we can save several resources at once. To do this, we simply have to serve smaller portions and eat less meat, which will require four times more energy than grains. We can also transfer food scraps and agricultural waste, such as manure, to anaerobic digesters, which turn the waste into natural gas. Bacteria inside these hollow metal balls, which look like sparkling bubbles, break down the organic matter, thereby producing methane. If we apply this technology on a large scale, in residences, in grocery stores, and centrally, in sites such as agricultural farms, we will be able to generate additional energy and create new income streams, and at the same time, reduce the amounts of energy and water required to process the waste.
Wastewater is another byproduct that we can turn into a resource. The cities of San Diego and Santa Clara in California use treated wastewater for irrigation. This water is even clean enough to be used as drinking water, and we can use it to facilitate the municipal water supply if only the California authorities approve it.

Proponents of urban agriculture, including Dixon Despomia from Columbia University, have planned "vertical farms" designed to be set up inside glass-clad skyscrapers. In New York, for example, residents produce about four billion liters of sewage every day, and the city invests huge sums in purifying this sewage so that it can be discharged into the Hudson River for disposal. Instead, this purified water could be used to irrigate agricultural crops in vertical farms, and thus it would be possible to produce food and, at the same time, reduce the demand for fresh water in these farms. The solids separated from the liquid wastewater are usually burned, but instead, it is possible to produce electricity from the burning and supply it to the huge buildings that house the farms, thus reducing their demand for energy. And since the fresh food will be grown close to where its consumers live and work, the need to transport the food will decrease and thus energy will be saved, and carbon dioxide emissions will be reduced.
Startup companies are trying to use wastewater and 2CO emitted from power plants to grow algae on the side. The algae feed on the gases and the water, and can be used as food for animals as well as for the production of biofuel. In this way we can deal with the fourth challenge on Smoli's list, the quality of the environment, by removing harmful substances from the water and 2CO from the atmosphere.
We can harness the carbon dioxide to produce energy. My colleagues at the University of Texas at Austin have designed a system where 2CO emitted from power plants is injected into saline groundwater reservoirs. The remaining 2CO lies far from the atmosphere, pushing hot methane gas to the surface, which can be marketed as an energy source. The heat can also be used by nearby industrial plants.
We can save several resources at the same time also through smart conservation. The use of the light switches and the electrical sockets involves water consumption many times higher than the direct consumption, through the sink faucet or the shower head, since huge amounts of water are required to cool the power plants, which are located far from the eye and far from the mind. We also use more energy for heating, purifying and pumping water than we use for lighting. If we turn off the light and do not turn on our household appliances, we will save large amounts of water, and if we turn off the water taps, we will save large amounts of energy.
It's worth rethinking more efficient ways to use energy and water to grow food in places that don't seem suitable. Certain desert areas in the southwestern United States are rich in brackish groundwater at shallow depths. And the wind and sun in these areas provide abundant energy. However, these energy sources can be problematic because they are not always available: the sun does not shine at night and the wind blows intermittently. But as far as water desalination is concerned, there is no problem because the desalinated water can be stored for later use. And while desalination of seawater is an energy-intensive process, the saline groundwater in these areas is much less saline than seawater. Our research at the University of Texas at Austin shows that intermittent wind energy has greater economic value when used to extract freshwater from brackish groundwater than it does when used to generate electricity. And this benign water can be used, of course, to irrigate agricultural crops. In this case, the relationship between the resources works in our favor.
A similar mindset can help us improve the hydraulic fracturing process for oil and gas production. One of the unwanted side effects of the process is the ignition of the waste gases, mainly methane, which are emitted from the well and burn in the air. This flare is so intense that at night it can be seen from space. The drilling wells also produce large amounts of dirty water - the millions of liters of fresh water pumped into the wells for fracking are ejected back full of salts and chemicals. In a smart application of the process, methane can be used to drive distillation systems or other heat-powered machines to purify the water for on-site reuse, thus conserving fresh water, while avoiding wasted energy and flaring waste gas emissions.
It is also possible to optimize the water supply systems for homes and businesses. Sensors are embedded in the smart electricity grids that optimize the electricity supply. But the water systems are much less smart. Outdated meters, from the beginning of the 20th century, that are still in use (in the USA) often show inaccurate consumption data. And according to the experts, outdated piping causes a leak of 10% to 40% of the water passing through it. The placement of wireless data sensors along the water supply system will allow the relevant authorities to track leaks and reduce them - and thus, reduce revenue losses. A smart water supply system will also help consumers manage their water consumption wisely.
Similarly, we can also optimize the food industry. One of the causes of the tremendous waste of food, which is thrown into the trash, is the expiration dates stamped on it. Grocery store owners, restaurateurs and private consumers all rely on these dates, which provide only a rough estimate of food freshness. Food whose expiration date has passed is not offered for sale and is not consumed, even if it is still fit for consumption after being kept at an appropriate temperature and in adequate storage conditions. Sensors can provide a smarter method of assessing food freshness. For example, it is possible to mark packages of food products with a special ink that changes color when the food is exposed to an inappropriate temperature or when unwanted bacteria develop in it, thus warning of spoiled food. It is also possible to install sensors along the supply chain to measure gases emitted in very small quantities from rotting fruits and vegetables. Such sensors can also help control cooling and thus reduce losses.

A new approach to policy design

Although many technical solutions can improve the interrelationship between energy, water and food, they are not often implemented because the relationship between the resources does not receive the attention it deserves in the US (and abroad), neither at the conceptual nor at the political level. Policy makers, business owners and engineers often work on some specific problem without paying attention to the totality of the factors.
Unfortunately, the situation is getting worse due to short-sightedness at the policy level, ignoring the big picture, and funding decisions made by the different authorities, each one separately. Energy planners assume that they will have all the water they will need. Designers of water systems assume that all the necessary energy will be available. Planners in the food sector take into account the risks of drought, but their answer to the problem is to increase pumping and deepen the boreholes in search of water. But the most important innovation we need is holistic thinking about all the resources available to us.
Such thinking will allow us to develop a wiser policy. For example, investing in the research of water-saving energy technologies, energy-saving water technologies, and techniques for the production, storage and control of food that will prevent waste and losses and reduce the demand for energy and water. If we establish cross-sectoral efficiency standards, we can kill two birds with one stone. Building regulations can also be used as a powerful tool to reduce waste and improve efficiency. New energy sites will be approved based on an assessment of their impact on water consumption, and vice versa. And policymakers will be able to direct funds to direct capital investments or grant tax breaks to institutions and organizations that implement such technical solutions.
The joint statement of 300 representatives from 33 countries (including Israel - the editors) at the Nexus 2014 conference on water, food, climate and energy, held in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, is a good omen for things to come. The statement, which was drafted not only by political representatives, but also by representatives of the World Bank and the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) who were present at the conference, states that "the world is one complex system" and that "solutions and policy interventions should be sought that will benefit the system as a whole .”

As Smalley said, energy can be the driving force. We have to think about how we can utilize the energy field to face multiple challenges at the same time. A policy whose sole purpose is to reduce the levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, for example, may force us to choose systems that emit little carbon but consume large amounts of water, such as nuclear power plants or coal-fired power plants that apply carbon capture technologies.
Personal responsibility also plays a role in this context. Demand for salad from fresh vegetables in the winter season, which arrive on our plate from a distance of thousands of kilometers, creates an extensive system, hungry for energy, of food distribution. In general, our personal choices, driven by the desire to achieve more of everything, deplete our resources and threaten to exhaust them. The interdependence of energy, water, and food is the most disturbing problem plaguing our planet. And as the late George Mitchell, the father of modern hydraulic fracturing and a passionate follower of the idea of ​​sustainability, said: "If we can't solve the problem for seven billion people, how can we solve it for nine billion people?"

About the author

Michael E. Webber is the Deputy Director of the Energy Institute at the University of Texas at Austin. A new book he wrote on the subject, Thirst for Power, which examines the use of energy and water in the modern world, is about to be published soon by Yale University Press. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelEWebber.

in brief

In the world, attempts are being made to improve the supply of energy, water and food, each resource separately, but an answer to the challenges involved will only be found in one integrated approach. Such an approach will also benefit the environment, advance the fight against poverty and disease, and benefit the growing world population.

Integrated solutions will be able to save energy, water and food. For example, reducing food waste, using purified wastewater in urban farms, growing algae using wastewater and carbon dioxide emitted from power plants, desalination of brackish water in the desert using wind turbines and a smart water supply network.
Energy, water and food are issues that require cooperation between planners and policy makers. Instead of working separately, they should formulate together policies and integrated infrastructure solutions.
More on the subject
Liberation Power: What Do Women Need? Better Energy. Sheryl R. Kirshenbaum and Michael E. Webber in Slate. Published online November 4, 2013.
The Ocean under Our Feet. Michael E. Webber in Mechanical Engineering, page 16; January 2014.
A video on resource-saving aquaculture:
ScientificAmerican.com/feb2015/webber

The article was published with the permission of Scientific American Israel