Page 52 - European Energy Innovation - autumn 2019 publication

52 Autumn 2019 European Energy Innovation

WATER & ENERGY

Clean Water and Clean Energy
A dream future for humanity

What we learned at the 2019 edition of Water Innovation Europe.
Water and energy are
essential for our scene for the conference. He started The departure point of the session
society and economy. off his speech by pointing out that ‘Common Challenges for Water and
Both water and energy water and energy are inextricably Energy’ was that a sustainable future
linked and those interdependencies within existing resources is possible.

services are addressed by the 2030 can intensify leading to many difficult The assessment of the best available
water and energy technologies makes
Agenda for SDGs, with remarkably challenges. However, the emergence us well aware that there is leeway
for improvement both in terms
similar goals and targets that centre of circular economy concepts is a of macroeconomic performance
and social development. Several
around universal access, resource cause for optimism, as this may lead alternatives within the scope of
nexus thinking are compatible
efficiency, renewables and reuse, to new business models for combined with growth and development. The
growing demand for limited water
technology and innovation, and water/energy markets, zero-emission supplies puts increasing pressure for
the energy sector. In turn, access to
international cooperation. To achieve in both sectors and win-win situations. energy could exacerbate the water
crisis. The basic fact is and has
a Water- Smart Society, we need to Professor Dragan also highlighted always been that there is no other
option for managing water and energy
achieve an Energy-Smart Society, and that climate change awareness challenges than in an integrated way.

vice versa. promotes green energy and storage, For that to happen, though,
institutional, analytical, and
energy optimization, energy recovery technological lock-ins must be
unlocked. The first session addressed
Thus, it comes as no surprise that and resource efficiency actions, and the ‘Common Challenges for Water
and Energy’ by bringing forward as its
Water Europe, the recognised voice water can play a significant role in first key point that there may well be

and promotor of water-related RTD these energy-focused technologies.

and innovation in Europe, turned Therefore, he concluded that clean

the spotlight of its 2019 annual energy and clean water are not a

conference to the Water-Energy pipe dream, but a dream future for

Nexus. The conference took place humanity.

on the 13th of June in Brussels and

brought together 230 professionals Session 1: Common Challenges for
from the water and energy sector. Water and Energy

Professor Dragan Savic, Chief Executive Dr. Gonzalo Delamara: Head
Officer at KWR Watercycle Research of the Water Economics
Institute, delivered the opening Department, IMDEA Water
keynote speech of the day, setting the Institute

Dr. Gonzalo Delacámara Dr. Floor Brouwer Dr. Lydia S. Vamvakeridou-Lyroudia

www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu