Date: 10/11/2013
Final
Least Cost Water Strategies
WATER RESOURCES REVIEW COMMITTEE
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09:17 AM
Staff distributed a document from Representative Fischer to the committee regarding the Colorado WaterWise Water Conservation Summit event (Attachment A).
1011AttachmentA.pdf
09:18 AM -- Least cost Water Strategies
Amory B. Lovins, Rocky Mountain Institute, described some of the issues associated with least-cost water strategies and discussed the "end use-least cost" approach to energy usage. Mr. Lovins talked about the patterns that can be observed in United States energy policy, the cost of thermal power plants, electricity usage patterns in the United States, and utility efficiency efforts. Mr. Lovins said that, over time, electric needs will dwindle as efficiency improves. He discussed trends observed with regard to wind energy and photovoltaic power and explained how global markets are rapidly shifting to distributed renewable energy. He talked about the usage of non-hydro renewable energy sources outside of the United States and explained how the electricity sector is transforming. Mr. Lovins discussed the effects of this transformation on water consumption. He talked about how U.S. water productivity outpaced energy productivity over the last 60 years and explained some of the variations in water productivity found in different states. He discussed water usage in agriculture, household water use, Colorado's water productivity gains from 1985-2005, Colorado household water efficiency, and consumptive water rights policies in Colorado. Mr. Lovins identified some of the arguments against using water efficiently and basic elements of modern water strategy. He answered questions from the committee regarding market structure in saved water, the definition of "low-value ag use," new methods being used to increase water efficiency, and implications of modern water strategies on state water policies. He continued to answer questions from the committee regarding potential effects of eliminating coal and oil production on the U.S. job market, the effects of Spain's photovoltaic energy policy on their economy, case studies examining water markets and water savings in Montana, and Colorado's prior appropriation water law.