Technology and resource development strategies need to take a sharp turn because the climate change affects the entire life cycle of natural resource utilization.
New generation technologies and strategies that have carefully considered the interrelated nature of water cycle components and provide integrated solutions are needed.
One area of significant concern to global community is the issue of sustainable management of massive volumes of brines (saline waters) generated by resource utilization and industrial activities. Factors complicating the situation are the projected substantial increase in dryland salinity areas and a rapid proliferation of the so-called green process and products, including some of the alternative energy production technologies and concepts – all expected to substantially increase the brine volumes and carbon footprint of the existing brine management practices.
On the positive side, there is a growing realization of the influence of climate change on water scarcity scarcity pattern around the world. This is reflected in a significant shift that we now witness in brine management strategies of the water industry. Seeking options for the beneficial use of brines as a resource for water production and/or recovery of useful byproducts is a new development and increasingly promoted by water-use industries and the investor groups. While the increasing constraints with the scope and availability of conventional disposal practices remain a major driver, the issue of sustainability of current brine disposal practices and associated costs represent the two most important "imperatives" of the shift we see in the old paradigm.
The need for a paradigm shift from brine disposal to beneficial use is more than ever evident and overwhelming.
To promote and facilitate the process of change this Brine Resources blog is established to provide an information sharing portal for those professionals who deal with water, wastewater, energy and carbon issues. We will also endeavor to cater for the information needs of those individuals and organization interested in or seeking developments, new generation technologies for sustainable use of brine resources, opinions and case studies on techno-economic aspects of brine utilization, as well as information on potential application areas, user markets and downstream value adding opportunities. Once we have progressed sufficiently with establishing a clear context for this blog we intend to invite experts in the field to provide short contributions as well as seeking our readers to post their opinions and news to any article.
New generation technologies and strategies that have carefully considered the interrelated nature of water cycle components and provide integrated solutions are needed.
One area of significant concern to global community is the issue of sustainable management of massive volumes of brines (saline waters) generated by resource utilization and industrial activities. Factors complicating the situation are the projected substantial increase in dryland salinity areas and a rapid proliferation of the so-called green process and products, including some of the alternative energy production technologies and concepts – all expected to substantially increase the brine volumes and carbon footprint of the existing brine management practices.
On the positive side, there is a growing realization of the influence of climate change on water scarcity scarcity pattern around the world. This is reflected in a significant shift that we now witness in brine management strategies of the water industry. Seeking options for the beneficial use of brines as a resource for water production and/or recovery of useful byproducts is a new development and increasingly promoted by water-use industries and the investor groups. While the increasing constraints with the scope and availability of conventional disposal practices remain a major driver, the issue of sustainability of current brine disposal practices and associated costs represent the two most important "imperatives" of the shift we see in the old paradigm.
The need for a paradigm shift from brine disposal to beneficial use is more than ever evident and overwhelming.
To promote and facilitate the process of change this Brine Resources blog is established to provide an information sharing portal for those professionals who deal with water, wastewater, energy and carbon issues. We will also endeavor to cater for the information needs of those individuals and organization interested in or seeking developments, new generation technologies for sustainable use of brine resources, opinions and case studies on techno-economic aspects of brine utilization, as well as information on potential application areas, user markets and downstream value adding opportunities. Once we have progressed sufficiently with establishing a clear context for this blog we intend to invite experts in the field to provide short contributions as well as seeking our readers to post their opinions and news to any article.
