The Stream, January 31: Energy Sector’s Demand for Water to Double by 2035

In 22 years, the energy sector will demand twice as much water, driven primarily by booming coal-fired electricity and increasing biofuel production. That’s the central finding of an International Energy Agency projection, National Geographic reported. The total increase in demand is equivalent to four times the volume of the U.S.’s Lake Mead.

Measuring Risk, Expecting Reward
IBM and WaterFund have partnered to create the first global risk benchmark for the cost of water. This means, Yahoo! Finance reported, that banks will be able to create financial products that let investors invest in, and bet on, trends in the water industry.

Mapping Conditions
A new interactive tool from the World Resources Institute, called the Aqueduct Water Risk Atlas, maps global water conditions. Companies, investors, governments, or other interested parties, The New York Times reported, can track 12 different indicators of water quality from the ecosystem layer to the groundwater-supply layer.

Israeli Desalination
Israel is increasingly turning to desalination for its water needs. Experts at a recent symposium reported by The Jerusalem Post said that in 18 months, 80 percent of the country’s water will come from desalination.

Interplanetary Robotic Extraction
NASA has a new robot, called RASSOR, designed to extract water, ice, and fuel from the dusty soil on the Moon, or perhaps, Mars. While only in the prototype stage, The Atlantic reported, it has the potential to feed eventual lunar processing plants and expand industry beyond earth.

The Stream is a daily digest spotting global water trends. To get more water news, follow Circle of Blue on Twitter and sign up for our newsletter.