The Goyder Institute for Water Research sponsored a panel session at the Adelaide’s Smart Water Summit in March. The focus of the Summit was on water enabling economic growth, driving innovation and providing solutions locally and globally.

The Goyder Institute panel session explored innovative solutions and emerging knowledge needs of industry for addressing the water and energy nexus in a changing climate. The session was facilitated by Mark Siebentritt from Seed Consulting Services and featured:

• Andrew Jackson, SA Water
• Bruce Naumann, Salisbury Water
• Craig Heidenreich, Water Utilities Group
• Kane Aldridge, Goyder Institute for Water Research

The panel members identified energy consumption as a critical issue for water management, with significant energy costs associated with water pumping and transport; desalinisation and treatment; and heating and cooling. It was noted that climate change will likely intensify the energy-water challenges in south eastern Australia by creating a warmer and drier climate.

The panelists revealed a number of innovative solutions currently being implemented by their organisations and future trends, including but not limited to:

• Energy efficiency programs
• Alternative energy generation and storage
• Optimised biogas generation
• Managed aquifer recharge into stressed aquifers and extracted elsewhere by a licenced ‘credit transfer’.

A series of emerging knowledge needs were identified by attendees. One of the most common knowledge needs identified was for tools to optimise the design and management of distributed energy and water management systems. Another knowledge need identified was to benchmark alternative energy supply options to allow industry to explore the costs and benefits of various options.

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