As power grids rely more on renewable energy sources like wind and solar, balancing energy supply and demand becomes more challenging.
As power grids rely more on renewable energy sources like wind and solar, balancing energy supply and demand becomes more challenging. A new analysis shows how water systems, such as desalination plants and wastewater treatment facilities, could help enhance grid stability and create new revenue streams.
New Stanford-led research reveals how water systems, from desalination plants to wastewater treatment facilities, could help make renewable energy more affordable and dependable. The study, published Sept. 27 in Nature Water, presents a framework to measure how water systems can adjust their energy use to help balance power grid supply and demand.
“If we’re going to reach net zero, we need demand-side energy solutions, and water systems represent a largely untapped resource,” said study lead author Akshay Rao, an environmental engineering PhD student in the Stanford School of Engineering. “Our method helps water operators and energy managers make better decisions about how to coordinate these infrastructure systems to simultaneously meet our decarbonization and water reliability goals.”
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