Michael Lewis                                                                                                                                       NRES 260                                                                                                                                     2012/11/09

Power by Sewer Water

 

            The water energy nexus describes the inter-related demands for water and energy. In the United States to day 19 percent of all electricity is used to treat water according to Discover Magazine. Water, in turn, is used to create power. Water is used for steam to turn turbines and as a battery to store power created by renewable power sources. So we are faced with the problem of if we want to meet all of our water demands we need more power. If we want more power we need more water. This down ward spiral could lead to future where we will have to choose meet are water demands or our power demands. Scientists are looking to a surprising resource to solve this problem. That resource is sewer water.

            A fuel cell out lined in a New York Times blog by Sophia Li is being developed where water can be cleaned without external energy. The fuel cell cleans the sewage water pumped into by converting the biological material in water via bacteria into water and CO₂. The fuel cell will be powered by energy created from the bacteria breaking down the biological material. Creating a closed system that will not put any extra demand on cities energy grids and free up the energy that would have been used for treating water for other purpose.

            While this fuel cell is not a silver bullet it does offer a more economical solution to the challenge for the meeting the power and water needs of growing cities here in the United States and across the globe.