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Title: Water for electricity in India: A multi-model study of future challenges and linkages to climate change mitigation

Journal Article · · Applied Energy

This paper provides projections of water withdrawals and consumption for electricity generation in India through 2050. Based on the results from five energy-economic modeling teams, the paper explores the implications of economic growth, power plant cooling policies, and electricity CO2 emissions reductions on water withdrawals and consumption. To isolate modeling differences, the five teams used harmonized assumptions regarding economic and population growth, the distribution of power plants by cooling technologies, and withdrawals and consumption intensities. The results demonstrate the different but potentially complementary implications of cooling technology policies and efforts to reduce CO2 emissions. The application of closed-loop cooling technologies substantially reduces water withdrawals but increases consumption. The water implications of CO2 emissions reductions, depend critically on the approach to these reductions. Focusing on wind and solar power reduces consumption and withdrawals; a focus on nuclear power increases both; and a focus on hydroelectric power could increase consumptive losses through evaporation.

Research Organization:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
AC05-76RL01830
OSTI ID:
1417436
Report Number(s):
PNNL-SA-122615; 830403000
Journal Information:
Applied Energy, Vol. 210, Issue C; ISSN 0306-2619
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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Cited By (7)

Evaluation of Future Water Use for Electricity Generation under Different Energy Development Scenarios in China journal December 2017
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Vulnerability of existing and planned coal-fired power plants in Developing Asia to changes in climate and water resources journal January 2019
Robust climate change research: a review on multi-model analysis journal February 2019
Regional responses to future, demand-driven water scarcity journal August 2018
A review status on alternative arrangements of power generation energy resources and reserve in India journal December 2019
Life cycle assessment of run-of-river hydropower plants in the Peruvian Andes: a policy support perspective journal January 2019