siliconindia | | December 20198rowing population, climate change, over-exploitation of existing resources and mismanagement of natural resources has strained India's conventional water and energy equilibrium. The availability of water per capita is expected to reduce to an all-time low of 1,140 cubic meters by 2050. This is dangerously close to the official water scarcity threshold and has raised critical concerns towards water management. On the other hand, the country's energy industry has witnessed an incredible transformation in recent times. With futuristic policies and initiatives, India has gradually shifted from being an `energy deficient' to an `energy surplus' nation. With the usage of fossil fuels being a critical issue due to climate change and depleting availability, a push towards renewable resources have become the mandate for energy industry.Water and energy are two intricately connected resources with a delicate balance. The relationship between water and energy forms a nexus and is the crux of this resource shortage crisis. The two industries are mutually dependent. While water is being used in most phases of energy production, energy is used to extract, treat and distribute water across its lifecycle. Role of Technology in this NexusTo conserve both resources for a sustainable future, successful technological disruptions must become a mainstay. Such solutions can potentially reduce demand for both the resources by exploring alternate avenues of supply. Efficient technology will be able to address some of the challenges posed by the growing water crisis. Big data, IoT, Artificial Intelligence and sensors are some of these intelligent solutions. Sensors can be fitted in pipes and accessed remotely to monitor, not only water consumption but also any leakage. Recently, Shimla replaced over 164 worn out valves in the city pipes and installed sensors in the water storage tanks in the distribution network to understand water overflow. Smart solutions can also By Saravanan Panneer Selvam, General Manager, Grundfos IndiaGrundfos is one of the global leaders in advanced pump solutions and a trendsetter in water technology.CRITICAL ROLE THAT TECHNOLOGY CAN PLAY TO MAKE WATER AND ENERGY USAGE EFFICIENTIN MY OPINIoNG
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