Some interesting speculation from Energy & Capital this morning. According to the latest email from Energy and Capital's Keith Kohl:
"America's water infrastructure is on its last legs. And billions will have to be spent over the next several years for maintenance alone. That means water infrastructure and technology investments will pay off. And the U.S. government's spending spree has just begun... President Obama's proposed 2017 budget includes nearly $280 million to protect and increase the nation's water supply through investment in water technology.
Here's how the money is proposed to be spent:
$98.6 million for the Department of the Interior’s WaterSMART program through the USGS and the Bureau of Reclamation, which promotes water conservation initiatives and technological breakthroughs. This request is $10.3 million above the 2016 budget.
$4 million of new funding at USGS for near real-time assessment of water use during drought, which provides a regional and national picture of how water use is changing during drought.
$28.6 million to support R&D at the Bureau of Reclamation. These funds include $8.5 million for the water technology solutions challenge program, an ambitious technology challenge prize focused on next-generation advanced water-treatment technologies; $5.8 million for desalination and water purification; and $2 million to continue the Open Water Data initiative to improve accessibility of data. This request is $8.6 million above the 2016 budget.
$25 million in new funding for DOE to launch a new Energy-Water Desalination Hub focused on developing technologies to reduce the cost, energy input, and carbon emission levels of desalination. DOE would also invest nearly $20 million in complementary R&D on desalination technologies relevant to fossil, concentrated solar power, and geothermal applications.
$15 million in additional funding for USDA intramural research on safe and abundant water supplies to support U.S. agricultural production and agricultural practices that conserve water, such as building healthy soils that retain water. The agriculture sector is the largest consumer of fresh water in the United States.
$88 million for NSF to support basic water research. The investment would enhance the scientific and engineering knowledge base and enable new technological solutions that will increase the Nation’s water supply and the quality of potable water and clean water for use in agriculture and industry processes or cooling."
Let's hope POW's USA employees and associates are getting busy with these up and coming opportunities.
Chilloutman
POW Price at posting:
1.9¢ Sentiment: Buy Disclosure: Held
(20min delay)