Deep Lake Water Cooling

Alec Baldwin will be in Toronto tomorrow for the official launch of Enwave's Deep Lake Water Cooling (DLWC) system. It is being billed as the largest alternative energy project to be undertaken by any city in the world. The concept is to tap into the permanent layer of cool (4�°C) water, 83 metres below the surface of Lake Ontario. The water is pumped to a pumping station at John Street, where it is used to cool water in the Enwave water supply loop.

The water from the loop then makes its way back to city buildings to act as an air cooling system. The lake water then continues on it's route to the city's water supply system. Enwave claims to have enough capacity to air condition 100 office towers or 8,000 homes. The environmental benefits appear to be tremendous. It saves 59 megawatts of electricity, not to mention reducing CFCs, HCFCs -- which damage the ozone layer -- and reducing CO₂ output from coal burning. It all seems great, but I wonder -- what's this doing to the Lake? Does it recover fast enough? (Alex Baldwin will be at the Steam Whistle Brewing, 255 Bremner Blvd., Toronto, at 10:30AM for those who care.)