Geothermal energy has been used for thousands of years in many civilisations. It reached a high degree of sophistication in the Roman world. Combined with the formidable water engineering experience of the Romans, it was used extensively for heating and thermal baths. Many of these thermal baths are still in existence, and some are even […]
Coal demand is dominated by two countries: China and the US. China’s coal industry has had a serious oversupply problem in recent years, particularly in the late 1990s, and the government has begun implementing major reforms aimed at reducing the oversupply, returning large state-owned mines to profitability as a prelude to possible future privatisation, and […]
The Depression, floods and drastic droughts in the United States of the1930s inspired a ’big dam’ period that included construction of the Grand Coulee Dam on the Colombia River in Washington, the Central Valley Project in California and the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River. The Grand Coulee Dam remains the largest hydro facility in […]
Idukki hydroelectric project, Western Ghats, India As a result of development, an environmental disaster occurred with the Idukki hydroelectric project in the Western Ghats of the Indian Peninsula at an altitude of 695 metres above sea level. The reservoir is formed by three dams, an arch dam across the Periyar River, a concrete dam across […]
Because of the extensive domestic resources of oil and gas, the natural gas industry developed in North America before it started in Europe. With on-shore discoveries in the Netherlands and the advent of the North Sea gas fields in the 1960s and 1970s the natural gas industry was launched in Europe, with conversion from town […]
Many parts of the world are experiencing severe water stress with limited fresh water supplies. In some parts of the world water use exceeds renewable water capacity – renewable water is defined as surface and underground water supplies that are replenished by rainwater. These regions often use non-renewable ground water supplies, which are also further […]
The European Union as a whole has a target of a 20% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2020, compared to a business-as-usual scenario. This is likely to require energy efficiency measures to reach, as it is unlikely that the EU will meet its target of 20% renewable energy in energy consumption by 2020. An EU […]
A new academic year is getting underway and with that a fresh group of eager minds are ready to absorb knowledge and expand their potential. For many of us it may seem like a distant memory, but there are so many learning opportunities that can be fulfilled even if you aren’t at the beginning or […]
Investments in water utility projects totals some $46.7 billion 73%; treatment plants total $15.4 billion, 24%; and water transfer systems total $2.0 billion, 3%. Combined water and sewage projects account for 51% of investments; water only projects accounted for 31%; and sewage only projects for 15%. This is in stark contrast to the situation from […]
Water is the most important of all natural resources for both land conservation and the welfare of mankind. The basic need to support life is 4 litres of water daily and an average city dweller requires about 400 litres per day for his needs and services; washing, cleaning, cooking and bathing. The total volume of […]
