HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA, April 30, 2015 -- In light of an executive order recently issued by California Governor Jerry Brown to establish a greenhouse gas reduction target of 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030, Poseidon Water is renewing its commitment to pursue renewable energy resources to power its proposed Huntington Beach desalination facility.
Currently, state laws prohibit any meaningful level of direct access between seawater desalination plants and renewable energy generation. As such, Scott Maloni, vice president of Poseidon Water, issued the following statement:
"We thank the governor for his decisive action on improving renewable energy resources across California. His position mirrors Poseidon's own commitment to pursing a renewable energy-powered desalination project in Huntington Beach. Poseidon's Carlsbad and Huntington Beach projects will not only be the first large-scale seawater desalination plants built in the state, they will be the largest and most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly seawater desalination plants in the Western Hemisphere.
"While Poseidon's projects do not create greenhouse gas emissions, Poseidon has taken the unprecedented step to commit to buy renewal energy credits and other carbon offsets to mitigate for the electrical power generation used to power the plant. Such renewal power and offset credits support the creation of renewable power. Still, we can do more, and we are committed to working with the governor's administration and legislative leadership to explore how to go beyond credit purchases and seek to power our desalination facilities with clean, renewable energy sources."
Some seawater desalination energy facts of Poseidon's Huntington Beach project include the following:
- The reverse osmosis desalination process does not result in air emissions of any kind.
- The energy consumption of the Carlsbad and Huntington Beach plants will be less than 1 percent of the electrical demands in their service areas.
- Southern California desalination plants will replace the need for imported water, which has energy intensity only about 25-percent less than desalination.
- The energy needed to power a desalination plant is less than a modern data center.
- Energy-efficient technology utilized at Poseidon's facilities will save tens of millions of dollars annually, allowing the plant to produce and deliver drinking water for approximately a half-penny per a gallon.
See also:
"CA gov issues executive order on drought; NRDC, Poseidon Water comment on action"
Coalition supports water purchase agreement between OCWD, Poseidon desalination plant"
About Poseidon Water
Poseidon Water specializes in developing and financing water infrastructure projects, primarily seawater desalination and water treatment plants. These projects are implemented through innovative public-private partnerships in which private enterprise assumes the developmental and financial risks. For more information on Poseidon Water and the Huntington Beach desalination facility, visit www.hbfreshwater.com.
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