If the assertion that it takes more water to move alternative vehicles vs. ICE-based vehicles strikes you as provocative and non-intuitive, it should.
But don't shoot the messenger. Researchers around the world are now measuring this. It's on the minds of leaders in the industry we talk with. And it's worrisome if you're concerned about fresh water supplies.
For some specifics, Scientific American's special issue “Earth 3.0,” which came out only a few weeks ago., features an article by Michael E. Webber titled “Catch-22: Water vs Energy.” From a chart on p 24: Gallons of water depleted to travel 100 miles:
The author makes the case that vastly more water is used in the production of fuel for these vehicles, above, than in the manufacture of gasoline. You can understand the larger water use of many biofuels, but even plug-in hybrids are water hogs, comparatively, researchers say:
"...the power sector swallows water. Compared with producing gasoline for a car, generating electricity for a plug-in hybrid-electric or all-electric vehicle withdraws 10 times as much water and consumes up to three times as much water per mile, according to studies done at the University of Texas at Austin."
The issue is not available electronically. Order it here. However you can reference much of the same article, minus the table and other data, for free here.
Do researchers claim there's a net environmental benefit to ICE-based vehicles? Of course not. The detrimental emissions and resource scarcity issues we're all familiar with re: gasoline-based vehicles still apply. But on the single axis of water consumption, it's increasingly clear that many so-called alternative fuel approaches are putting a load on fresh water supplies. And that's being noticed by those making big bets in clean technology.
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Water & energy citation: Scientific American
Submitted on December 14th, 2008 by Dallas KachanIf the assertion that it takes more water to move alternative vehicles vs. ICE-based vehicles strikes you as provocative and non-intuitive, it should.
But don't shoot the messenger. Researchers around the world are now measuring this. It's on the minds of leaders in the industry we talk with. And it's worrisome if you're concerned about fresh water supplies.
For some specifics, Scientific American's special issue “Earth 3.0,” which came out only a few weeks ago., features an article by Michael E. Webber titled “Catch-22: Water vs Energy.” From a chart on p 24: Gallons of water depleted to travel 100 miles:
Ethanol = 130
Fuel Cell = 42
Plug in = 24
Gasoline = 7-14
The author makes the case that vastly more water is used in the production of fuel for these vehicles, above, than in the manufacture of gasoline. You can understand the larger water use of many biofuels, but even plug-in hybrids are water hogs, comparatively, researchers say:
"...the power sector swallows water. Compared with producing gasoline for a car, generating electricity for a plug-in hybrid-electric or all-electric vehicle withdraws 10 times as much water and consumes up to three times as much water per mile, according to studies done at the University of Texas at Austin."
The issue is not available electronically. Order it here. However you can reference much of the same article, minus the table and other data, for free here.
Do researchers claim there's a net environmental benefit to ICE-based vehicles? Of course not. The detrimental emissions and resource scarcity issues we're all familiar with re: gasoline-based vehicles still apply. But on the single axis of water consumption, it's increasingly clear that many so-called alternative fuel approaches are putting a load on fresh water supplies. And that's being noticed by those making big bets in clean technology.
Dallas Kachan
Managing Director
Cleantech Group