Making sure the well doesn’t go dry

Since today is World Water Day, it’s a good time for a reminder that wind power helps conserve billions of gallons of water every year.

Newly released data show that wind saved almost 73 billion gallons in 2015 alone. That’s the equivalent of 553 billion water bottles, or 226 gallons for every American.

Wind is able to do this because, unlike conventional electricity generation sources, it requires no water for cooling. Traditional power plants use enormous amounts of water to ensure they don’t overheat, so every bit of electricity we create with wind instead of a conventional source means more water is free for other uses, like drinking and farming.

With severe on-going drought in states like California and Texas, we’re seeing that conserving every last drop counts. For many Americans who depend on the land for their livelihoods, it’s key that we protect this invaluable resource.

Continuing to grow wind energy is one way to make sure there will be more water to go around when we need it, rather than seeing it drained away to cool a conventional power plant.