(426e) Sustainability and Resilience of Energy Systems: Minimizing Emissions and Water Use and Assessing Response to Drought in the Texas Electrical Grid

Electricity generation accounts for approximately 40% of energy use in the United States, and consequently, developing mechanisms for electricity generation that minimize impacts, yet are resilient to stress, is a key element in the development of sustainable energy systems.  As a case study of the sustainability of electrical grids, this presentation will quantitatively examine trade-offs between air emissions, carbon intensity, and water use in the electrical grid operated by the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT).  In addition, the response of the grid to drought stress, which is assumed to limit the availability of cooling water, and the response of the grid to changes in relative prices of natural gas and coal, will be reported.