Renewable Energy Substantially Cuts Water Use
Power generation accounts for 39% of water usage in the US. Coal, natural gas, and nuclear power plants use the most amount of water while renewable energy like wind and solar photovoltaic use the least. Increasing competition for water coupled with current droughts make it all the more important to devise new ways to create electricity without using nearly as much water.
Agriculture uses 40% of water followed closely by thermoelectric energy production at 39%. Thermoelectric is power generated from a heat source like coal, natural gas, nuclear, biomass, or concentrated solar. It requires water for cooling or to power steam turbines.
