Water energy nexus: water consumption scenario in energy sector
Student name: Mr Anurag Prakash
Guide: Dr Arun Kansal
Year of completion: 2015
Host Organisation: The Energy and Resource Institute (TERI), New Delhi
Supervisor (Host Organisation): Dr Shresth Tyal
Abstract: Water and energy are linked with each other. Their interlinking uses are critical drivers of population, food security and energy security. But water uses for energy and energy uses for water - has become much important subject in changing world. As the population increases the demand of water and energy grows rapidly. We need more water for energy production and vice –versa. Research helps us in analyzing the interconnectedness of these two resources. Our study sought to quantify the energy-water relationship in India, specifically the relationship between electricity generation, crude oil refining, and coal mining. We examined the water requirements for Thermal power plant, Oil refining processes, and coal mining for typical systems. Analysis of available data shows that approximately 35157 million cubic meter of water annually is consume . In preparing our analysis, it became clear that substantially site-specific data are necessary for a full understanding of the nature of the energy-water nexus and the sustainability of economic growth in our country. India should increase efforts to collect accurate data on the withdrawal and consumption of water at power plants, Refinery and coal industry. The overachieving conclusion of our work is that increased efficiency advances the sustainable use of both energy and water. Improving water efficiency will reduce power demand, and improving energy efficiency will reduce water demand. Greater efficiency in usage of either energy or water will help stretch our finite supplies of both, as well as reduce costs to water and energy production .The industry which consumes water is energy-intensive, It requires lots of energy for production. The energy industry is also water-intensive and consumes lots of water for cooling and other intensive process within plants. Water is used for resource extraction (oil, gas, coal, etc.), energy conversion (refining and processing), transportation and power generation. Energy accounts for 27.6% of Water, like energy, is a commodity but with very different characteristics. Constraints of water availability are often influence by choice of technologies, sites, and types of energy facilities. For instance, water has always been a potential constraint for thermal electricity generation, given the large volumes of water typically required for cooling. Water consumption for different sources of energy, including extraction, processing and conversion of resources, fuels, and technologies are discussed. The primary focus of is consumptive use of water for different sources of energy. Where appropriate, levels of water withdrawals are also discussed, especially in the context of cooling of thermoelectric power plants. Water estimation for water extensive industries processing technologies, and a more extensive review of water use in electricity from is done. This paper also discuss about water neutral operations, which shows tangible outcome of water footprints, offsets and neutrality. It has a huge effect on water use reduction and shows great possibility to reduce the consumption of water .its reduces the water footprint of energy production processes .It also give an idea of water management by different methods such as watershed management, groundwater recharge and rainwater harvesting.
Keywords:-water-energy nexus, Energy production industries, water consumption, cooling technologies, water neutral,
