An integrated assessment of global and regional water demands for electricity generation to 2095

Journal Article · Fri Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 2013 · Advances in Water Resources, 52:296-313

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2012.11.020· OSTI ID:1064568

Davies, Evan; Kyle, G Page; Edmonds, James A

Electric power plants currently account for approximately one-half of the global industrial water withdrawal. While continued expansion of the electric sector seems likely into the future, the consequent water demands are quite uncertain, and will depend on highly variable water intensities by electricity technologies, at present and in the future. Using GCAM, an integrated assessment model of energy, agriculture, and climate change, we first establish lower-bound, median, and upper-bound estimates for present-day electric sector water withdrawals and consumption by individual electric generation technologies in each of 14 geopolitical regions, and compare them with available estimates of regional industrial or electric sector water use. We then explore the evolution of global and regional electric sector water use over the next century, focusing on uncertainties related to withdrawal and consumption intensities for a variety of electric generation technologies, rates of change of power plant cooling system types, and rates of adoption of a suite of water-saving technologies. Results reveal that the water withdrawal intensity of electricity generation is likely to decrease in the near term with capital stock turnover, as wet towers replace once-through flow cooling systems and advanced electricity generation technologies replace conventional ones. An increase in consumptive use accompanies the decrease in water withdrawal rates; however, a suite of water conservation technologies currently under development could compensate for this increase in consumption. Finally, at a regional scale, water use characteristics vary significantly based on characteristics of the existing capital stock and the selection of electricity generation technologies into the future.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 1064568
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-84034; KP1703030
• Journal Information: Advances in Water Resources, 52:296-313, Journal Name: Advances in Water Resources, 52:296-313
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

electric power
integrated assessment
water consumption
water use
water withdrawal
water-energy nexus