Search Climate Insights Directory

The document addresses the recent surge in U.S. electricity demand driven by data centers, manufacturing, and electric vehicles. It warns that utilities are defaulting to new gas plants, which risks creating stranded assets and conflicting with climate goals. The authors propose a portfolio of alternatives, including aggressive energy efficiency, the reuse of fossil fuel interconnection sites for renewables, demand response with large customers, and grid-enhancing technologies to improve existing transmission infrastructure.

The U.S. electricity system relies heavily on freshwater, with cooling power plants accounting for 41 percent of all freshwater withdrawals. This dependence creates a 'collision' where energy production competes with municipal, agricultural, and ecosystem needs, a situation exacerbated by global warming. The report details regional risks—such as hydropower instability in the Northwest and cooling water shortages in the Southeast—and highlights low-water alternatives like wind, solar photovoltaic, and dry-cooling systems.

The Great Plains region has experienced increasing average temperatures and shifting precipitation patterns, with winter temperatures in northern states rising by more than 6°F over the last 30 years. Climate change is projected to exacerbate the depletion of the High Plains (Ogallala) aquifer, particularly in the southern region where unsustainable water use and extreme heat are already prevalent. Agriculture and livestock are highly vulnerable; rising temperatures are expected to shift crop zones, increase pest prevalence, and reduce livestock yields, with a projected 10% decline in cow/calf and dairy operations under higher emissions scenarios. Ecosystems, specifically prairie potholes and playa lakes, face threats from altered evaporation and recharge rates, which impacts migratory birds and aquifer replenishment. The document also highlights the vulnerability of 65 Native American tribes on rural lands facing water quantity and quality issues.

In 2006, the Southeast region's energy consumption was approximately 80 percent dependent on fossil fuels, which was slightly lower than the national average of 85 percent. The regional mix was characterized by higher proportions of coal and nuclear energy and a lower proportion of natural gas relative to the national average.

In 2000, thermoelectric power plants in the Southeast United States withdrew nearly 40 billion gallons of freshwater daily, accounting for approximately 65 percent of all withdrawals in the region. These plants, which utilize coal, oil, gas, nuclear, or biomass fuels, consumed nearly 140 billion gallons of water annually through evaporation losses.