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2012 Reenergize the Americas 4B: Jon Barela

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Reenergize

Climate change is impacting global water resources through changes in temperature, precipitation, evapotranspiration, and runoff. These changes are affecting watersheds and ecosystems. Wildfires have increased in number, size, and severity over the past 40 years due to climate change and forest management practices. Tree ring data from the Southwest US shows that a 10% change in precipitation can result in a 20% change in runoff. New Mexico has the potential to lead the next major energy transition from fossil fuels to renewables as it currently has significant solar and wind resources and ranks high for other renewable energy sources.

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Current Global Water Stress 1
Climate Changes will Impact Temperatures, Precipitation, Evapotranspiration, and Runoff Nat. Geo. April 2009 from IPCC Mid-latitude population belt will be strongly affected 2
Changes in Water Availability are Impacting Watersheds and Associated Ecosystems Current trends show that the number, size, and severity of wildland fires has grown significantly over the past four decades .. ... Two sources contribute: forest management practices and climate change 3
Southwest Precipitation Patterns Based on Tree Ring Data 10% change in precipitation is a 20% change in runoff! 4
The U.S has Made Two Major Energy Transitions Can New Mexico lead the Next Transition? NM Energy – 1st Solar, 12th Wind, 5th NG, 5th Oil, 13th Coal, Uranium, Geothermal, 41st in hydropower Major Energy Transitions 100% 90% 80% 70% Renewables Nuclear 60% Gas 50% Oil Hydro 40% Coal 30% Wood 20% 10% 0% 1850 1880 1910 1940 1970 2000 Source: Energy Information Administration 5 5

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2012 Reenergize the Americas 4B: Jon Barela

  • 2. Climate Changes will Impact Temperatures, Precipitation, Evapotranspiration, and Runoff Nat. Geo. April 2009 from IPCC Mid-latitude population belt will be strongly affected 2
  • 3. Changes in Water Availability are Impacting Watersheds and Associated Ecosystems Current trends show that the number, size, and severity of wildland fires has grown significantly over the past four decades .. ... Two sources contribute: forest management practices and climate change 3
  • 4. Southwest Precipitation Patterns Based on Tree Ring Data 10% change in precipitation is a 20% change in runoff! 4
  • 5. The U.S has Made Two Major Energy Transitions Can New Mexico lead the Next Transition? NM Energy – 1st Solar, 12th Wind, 5th NG, 5th Oil, 13th Coal, Uranium, Geothermal, 41st in hydropower Major Energy Transitions 100% 90% 80% 70% Renewables Nuclear 60% Gas 50% Oil Hydro 40% Coal 30% Wood 20% 10% 0% 1850 1880 1910 1940 1970 2000 Source: Energy Information Administration 5 5

Editor's Notes

  1. In 2007, the peak capacity of installed PV solar was 498 megawatts (approximately 10% of the worlds installed capacity) producing 606 Mwh The Mojave Desert houses the world’s largest solar power plant covering 1000 acres (4 km”) of solar reflectors and produces 90% of the world’s current commercially produced solar power Israel is building a 100 MW solar power plant. It will supply more than 200,000 Israelis with electricity. There are further plans for an even bigger 500 MW solar power plant, making Israel a solar energy leader. In 2007, the US installed peak capacity for Wind energy production was 16,818 MW producing 32,143 Mwh of electricity at an average cost of $0.04 - 0.06 / kwh. ND currently has around 500 MW installed with 197 MW of capacity under construction and the potential for 1.2 million MW 2 MW Turbines cost $3.5M installed Nuclear—104 operational nuclear reactors (35 boiling water reactors, 69 pressurized water reactors); generated 19.4% or 806.5 billion kilowatt-hours of total US electricity in 2007 Coal plants—1,522—generated 49% of US electricity in 2006 (info from SourceWatch)