Eliminating Excess: Ensuring Compliance with Industrial Water Regulations in California

Student

Kathleen Sullivan

College(s)

College of Arts and Letters

Faculty Advisor

Suzanne Wengle

Class Year

2018

Some of California’s most wasteful in-state water uses has occurred in its power generation and data center facilities, in which thousands of gallons of water are used for cooling every day. A new cooling technology developed by Autry Industrial, Cycle Two73, eliminated the use of water in cooling processes. My capstone explains how Cycle Two73 will help data centers and power plants comply with reducing their water use in the wake of California’s droughts. My main findings have revealed that conventional cooling methods are wasteful, while “sustainable” alternatives continue to waste ridiculous amounts of water. My research suggested California lawmakers are concerned with tracking water conservation more efficiently to regulate excessive water use better. I argued that data centers and power plants ought to implement Autry Industrial’s Cycle Two73 to comply with future developments in California water law in the best possible way.

More information regarding my capstone project and my journey through the Sustainability Minor can be found here.