Smoke on the Water

This report analyzes the future of energy production wastewater and sustainability. The central 

question of this report is what will be the future of wastewater resulting from energy production in the United States.  The main factors playing into this analysis are changes in technology, government regulation, and the consumption and production of energy.  The scope of this project extends to the year 2030, with trends, issues, and events being examined to project a baseline forecast and an expected future scenario. This expected scenario, along with three other potential outcomes, were developed through the “Alternative Futures” method by examining the drivers and constraints of change and exploring how they might shape the future.  The scenarios envision very different futures, but the expected direction sees growth in relevant technology, improved regulation, and a less water-stressed country, where wastewater problems have become less of an issue.