Suchergebnisse

AbstractGroundwater research in the Texas High Plains (THP), where production agriculture depends on the Ogallala aquifer, has been conducted by economists, hydrologists and environmental scientists, each focusing on disciplinary aspects of water use, including conservation cost, level of conservation achieved, long‐term aquifer sustainability and water quality degradation. Due to paucity of data, economists often make stringent and unrealistic assumptions concerning the uniformity of aquifer characteristics, land use and water use practices. To address modelling sensitivity to the assumption that aquifer characteristics are homogeneous we develop an integrated regional water policy model for the THP that links a groundwater hydrology model with a dynamic economic optimization model. We compare baseline water use projections provided by a stand‐alone normative economic model to those provided by an integrated economic and hydrologic model that controls for spatial variability in aquifer characteristics. Findings suggest the stand‐alone economic model generally overstates baseline economic returns to water and the water use level compared to the integrated model. The integrated modelling framework controls for the impact spatially heterogeneous aquifer characteristics have on the optimal use of limited groundwater supplies. Improved county‐level estimates for expected baseline economic returns to, and water use by irrigated agriculture over time enhances the ability of water policy‐makers to more precisely model the economic cost and water savings of proposed water conservation policies because policy cost‐effectiveness is normally measured relative to the baseline condition.

Seadrift is located on the Texas Gulf Coast with a population of 1,364 people as of the 2010 U.S. Census. In 2012, the city started operation of a $610,878 wind turbine, dedicated to its wastewater treatment plant. The city hoped to save $25,500 yearly using wind energy to displace some of the plant's electrical demand. The plant's average load is 0.05 million gallons per day, requiring 236,000 kWh (8.05*108 BTU) yearly. The paper details how Seadrift used manufacturer curves to predict turbine energy production, and how preliminary geotechnical, economic, and environmental analyses help design renewable energy projects. From 2012 to 2015, Seadrift saved $15,928 per year, with yearly wind energy production of 155,738 kWh (5.31*108 BTU) and net present value of $211,493. This study shows how government agencies and rural communities can collaborate to find economically viable solutions to water-energy nexus challenges in Texas and beyond. Citation: Mbarga AHA, Rainwater K, Song L, Theodore C, Williams WR. 2021. Economic Analyses of the Seadrift Wind-Aided Wastewater Treatment Plant Operations. Texas Water Journal. 12(1):42-57. Available from: https://doi.org/10.21423/twj.v12i1.7096.