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Desal and “carbon”ated water: Coastal Commission should make the Carlsbad project offset all of its carbon impacts

Posted by: Aqua Blog Maven on January 11, 2010 at 7:52 am

From the California Progress Report, this commentary by Jonas Minton of the Planning & Conservation League:

“Carbon emissions and water supply are two sides of the same coin. In California nearly 20 percent of our electrical energy is used to move water around the State, treat it for use and then treat it again for disposal.

All of that energy generation emits huge amounts of carbon to our atmosphere. So when Poseidon Corporation claims that its proposed desalination plant in Carlsbad will have a “zero carbon footprint” it may sound too good to be true. Well, that’s because it is.

In February the Coastal Commission will be reviewing the accuracy of information submitted by Poseidon for its permit to build the largest desalination facility in the Western Hemisphere in Carlsbad, California. The issue is Poseidon’s claimed CO2 offsets.

Ocean desalination is the most energy/carbon intensive way to provide water – even more than pumping water more than 400 miles all the way from Northern California, up over the Tehachapi Mountains and on to San Diego. Poseidon’s proposed ocean desalination plant would require 30 megawatts of generation. Producing this much energy would emit an additional 120,000 to 154,000 tons of carbon dioxide per year into our atmosphere. … “

Read more of Jonas’ commentary by clicking here.

January 11, 2010 · Filed Under Poseidon's Carlsbad Plant

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