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Title: Vulnerabilities and opportunities at the nexus of electricity, water and climate

Abstract

The articles in this special issue examine the critical nexus of electricity, water, and climate, emphasizing connections among resources; the prospect of increasing vulnerabilities of water resources and electricity generation in a changing climate; and the opportunities for research to inform integrated energy and water policy and management measures aimed at increasing resilience. Here, we characterize several major themes emerging from this research and highlight some of the uptake of this work in both scientific and public spheres. Underpinning much of this research is the recognition that water resources are expected to undergo substantial changes based on the global warming that results primarily from fossil energy-based carbon emissions. At the same time, the production of electricity from fossil fuels, nuclear power, and some renewable technologies (biomass, geothermal and concentrating solar power) can be highly water-intensive. Energy choices now and in the near future will have a major impact not just on the global climate, but also on water supplies and the resilience of energy systems that currently depend heavily on them.

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6]
  1. Union of Concerned Scientists, Cambridge, MA (United States)
  2. United States Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)
  3. Stanford Univ., CA (United States)
  4. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
  5. Univ. of Arizona, Tucson, AZ (United States)
  6. Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis
OSTI Identifier:
1245543
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-6A70-64380
Journal ID: ISSN 1748-9326
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Environmental Research Letters
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 10; Journal Issue: 8; Related Information: Environmental Research Letters; Journal ID: ISSN 1748-9326
Publisher:
IOP Publishing
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY; 54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES; energy; water; nexus; EWN; climate; power system; electricity

Citation Formats

Frumhoff, Peter C., Burkett, Virginia, Jackson, Robert B., Newmark, Robin, Overpeck, Jonathan, and Webber, Michael. Vulnerabilities and opportunities at the nexus of electricity, water and climate. United States: N. p., 2015. Web. doi:10.1088/1748-9326/10/8/080201.
Frumhoff, Peter C., Burkett, Virginia, Jackson, Robert B., Newmark, Robin, Overpeck, Jonathan, & Webber, Michael. Vulnerabilities and opportunities at the nexus of electricity, water and climate. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/8/080201
Frumhoff, Peter C., Burkett, Virginia, Jackson, Robert B., Newmark, Robin, Overpeck, Jonathan, and Webber, Michael. 2015. "Vulnerabilities and opportunities at the nexus of electricity, water and climate". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/10/8/080201. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1245543.
@article{osti_1245543,
title = {Vulnerabilities and opportunities at the nexus of electricity, water and climate},
author = {Frumhoff, Peter C. and Burkett, Virginia and Jackson, Robert B. and Newmark, Robin and Overpeck, Jonathan and Webber, Michael},
abstractNote = {The articles in this special issue examine the critical nexus of electricity, water, and climate, emphasizing connections among resources; the prospect of increasing vulnerabilities of water resources and electricity generation in a changing climate; and the opportunities for research to inform integrated energy and water policy and management measures aimed at increasing resilience. Here, we characterize several major themes emerging from this research and highlight some of the uptake of this work in both scientific and public spheres. Underpinning much of this research is the recognition that water resources are expected to undergo substantial changes based on the global warming that results primarily from fossil energy-based carbon emissions. At the same time, the production of electricity from fossil fuels, nuclear power, and some renewable technologies (biomass, geothermal and concentrating solar power) can be highly water-intensive. Energy choices now and in the near future will have a major impact not just on the global climate, but also on water supplies and the resilience of energy systems that currently depend heavily on them.},
doi = {10.1088/1748-9326/10/8/080201},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1245543}, journal = {Environmental Research Letters},
issn = {1748-9326},
number = 8,
volume = 10,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue Aug 04 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Tue Aug 04 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}

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Cited by: 18 works
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Works referenced in this record:

Assessing the Risk of Persistent Drought Using Climate Model Simulations and Paleoclimate Data
journal, October 2014


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Anthropogenic warming has increased drought risk in California
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journal, September 2013


How unusual is the 2012-2014 California drought?: GRIFFIN AND ANCHUKAITIS
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journal, October 2012


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journal, March 2013


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journal, May 2013


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journal, December 2012


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journal, December 2013


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journal, April 2013


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journal, May 2013


Understanding Uncertainties in Future Colorado River Streamflow
journal, January 2014


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journal, July 2013


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A review of the energy–carbon–water nexus: Concepts, research focuses, mechanisms, and methodologies
journal, July 2019


Influence of El Niño Southern Oscillation on global hydropower production
journal, March 2017