Perth Laboratory – Public Seminar Series 2010

Water-Related Energy Use in California

Dr Gary Wolff
Executive Director, StopWaste.Org

*Friday 25 June 2010 at 11:00 am, CSIRO Auditorium

RSVP by Wednesday 23 June to Ms Wendy Whitford

Abstract
This presentation summarizes a statewide estimate of energy use associated with the water sector in California for the year 2000. Study results are based on estimated water use for each step of the water supply process: sources and conveyance, treatment, distribution, customer use, wastewater collection, and wastewater treatment and disposal. The Pacific Institute’s Water-to-Air Model was used to estimate actual and equivalent electricity for each step in these processes, as well as criteria air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Results indicate that water-related electricity represents approximately 18 percent of the electricity used within the state in the year 2000. Natural gas and diesel fuel use within the water and wastewater sectors represents approximately 10 percent and 4 percent respectively, of statewide energy use in these categories. The average energy intensity of water use was estimated at about 1,930 equivalent kWh (a measure of total, not just electric, energy use), including 1,250 actual kWh of electricity per acre-foot of water delivered to customers. Carbon dioxide emissions intensity was estimated to be about one metric ton per acre-foot delivered to customers and accounted for approximately 8 percent of total state greenhouse gas emissions that year.

Actual energy and emissions intensities vary considerably depending on many factors such as geography, type of water system, and customer uses of water. Furthermore, data was not available for significant quantities of local surface water supply and urban wastewater collection lift stations. Consequently, the estimates in this report must be interpreted with caution.

About the speaker
Gary Wolff, P.E., Ph.D., is the Executive Director of StopWaste.Org, a joint powers authority composed of 17 local government agencies in Alameda County, California, located on the east side of the San Francisco Bay. StopWaste.Org is the solid waste planner and county-wide implementer of programs that serve the 1.5 million residents and 60,000 businesses of Alameda County.

Dr Wolff is an expert in the economics and engineering of resource use, including water supply, water quality, energy, and materials management. His professional career has included solar energy construction contracting, water quality and water rights regulation for the State of California, design engineer at a wastewater treatment plant, founder and president of an engineering consulting firm, a post-doctoral fellowship at the Center for Conservation Biology at Stanford University, and a visiting professorship at the Graduate School of International Policy Studies at the Monterey Institute of International Studies. From 2001 to 2006, he served as principal economist and engineer for the Pacific Institute for Studies in Environment, Development and Security in Oakland, California. From 2006 to 2009 he was Vice Chair of the State Water Resources Control Board, and previously served as a member of the San Francisco Bay Regional Water Quality Control Board. Both positions are appointed by the Governor and require confirmation by the California State Senate. His community service includes four years as Chair of the Castro Valley Sanitary District Community Advisory Committee, past President of the Alameda County Recycling Board, past Chair of the East Bay Municipal Utility District Demand Management Advisory Committee, and past Chair of the Board of Water Keepers of Northern California (now San Francisco Bay Keeper).

Dr. Wolff received his Doctoral and Masters degrees in Resource Economics from the University of California at Berkeley, his Masters Degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Stanford University, and his Bachelors Degree in Renewable Energy Engineering Technology from Jordan College. A publications list is available upon request.

*This seminar is scheduled for a Friday morning instead of the usual Thursday afternoon

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