Ontario's Water-Energy Nexus: Will We Find Ourselves in Hot Water... or Tap into Opportunity?
Date
2010-04-01
Authors
Maas, Carol
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
POLIS Project on Ecological Governance, University of Victoria
Abstract
POLIS' second report on the water-energy nexus offers Ontario’s first estimate of the large quantities of energy used to pump, treat and heat water and to generate steam. The study reveals that pumping and treating water and wastewater consumes enough energy to light every home in the province. In addition, heating water for activities such as showering and doing laundry was found to be the second largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the residential and commercial sectors because of the heavy reliance on fossil fuels. As a result of these findings, initiatives to support greater water conservation and efficiency could be a path to realizing future energy savings, to the benefit of municipalities, taxpayers and our environment.
Description
Keywords
water-energy nexus, Ontario, fossil fuels
Citation
Maas, C. (2010, April). Ontario’s Water-Energy Nexus: Will We Find Ourselves in Hot Water… or Tap into Opportunity?—POLIS Research Report 10-01. Victoria, Canada: POLIS Project on Ecological Governance at the University of Victoria.