At the Columbia Water Center we frequently refer to the water/energy nexus. I am often asked what is meant by this term. Broadly speaking, the water/energy nexus refers to the myriad cyclical ways in which water and energy relate to, and impact, each other. Water is necessary in the production of virtually all types of energy, but energy is also needed for many methods of accessing water–most notably for pumping groundwater. The interplay between these two sectors is exceedingly complex.
For environmentalists, a troubling example of the water/energy nexus arises in the American West, a region known for its brilliant sun and high potential for solar energy production. Unfortunately, the region is also known for its short supply of water resources, and water is just what is needed for a popular type of solar energy production–wet cooling of solar thermal plants. While extremely attractive, both economically and because of its minimal carbon emissions, solar thermal energy is also hugely water intensive. As the Times reported on Oct 27, this tension is beginning to come to a head in many water-stressed areas of the region.
This presents a conundrum for many environmentalists (including me). Solar is typically considered to be one of the “good” energy alternatives due to its relatively small environmental footprint. Yet it’s clear that in spite of the many arguments in favor of solar, its drawbacks also need to be considered. The unfortunate reality is that many regions which are so well suited to solar, for reasons related to weather and space, are also water-stressed. This isn’t an argument against solar, but we do need to acknowledge that the potential implementation of solar, especially on a large scale, needs to be carefully evaluated in light of the water constraint. It is also imperative that as a society we work towards breaking down barriers to the adoption of much less water-intensive types of solar production.
There are countless other examples of the interplay between water and energy issues, and while awareness of each individually seems to be on the rise, there is relatively little consideration of the actual connection between the two. At the Water Center, we will continue to research this issue, yet it is my hope that over time, energy and water will come to be seen, not as distinct, but as two sides of the same coin. A myopic focus on only of these is unlikely to lead to good decisions; instead both factors should be considered as part of a holistic approach to–everyone’s favorite term–environmental sustainability.
Thanks you for this clarifying blog. I am always surprised that this “myopic” view still exists, especially in India where the government provides energy subsidies to farmers that in turn pump out groundwater in alarming levels. If a proper understanding of the water/energy nexus could be communicated, it might lead to better water/energy management.
This is a great topic to be looking at, especially at this pivotal time when so much is changing in the views on water and energy. So often, these issues are tackled as separate entities, when in reality, they highly interdependent. With the great loss of groundwater and surface water as optable water sources, many areas are switchiang to alternative water sources, such as desalination. Energy costs of desalination are monumental,and to produce that energy, large amounts of water are needed for cooling the power plant. With this in mind, we must find ways to work together to implement both water conservation and energy conservation to save these precious resources.
Glad you’re covering this important topic. At River Network, we have a program devoted to helping people understand both sides of the water-energy nexus as a critical piece of addressing climate change. Our focus thus far has been on the energy/carbon emissions embedded in water and the potential for GHG reductions through water conservation, however, we are beginning to focus more on the water impacts of energy development. River Network published a white paper last spring called the Carbon Footprint of Water that you might find interesting and we also have a blog devoted entirely to this topic: http://rivernetwork.org/blog/swse.
Thanks to Bevan for the comment and for alerting us to the River Network’s entire blog devoted to water and energy. The blog has a lot of great posts – as Bevan correctly observes, there are many facets to the connection between water and energy, including the carbon emissions embedded in water and the corresponding potential for GHG reductions through water use efficiency. One aspect of River Network’s blog I particularly enjoyed were suggestions for how individual actions can reduce both water and carbon consumption, such as through low flow showerheads. I recommend checking out their blog to learn more.
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