Assessing the effects of thermal and hydro energy production on water systems

Abstract

Energy production systems can be ranked in order according to the amount of energy generated as follows: petroleum, natural gas, coal, nuclear, biomass, hydro, wind/solar, and geothermal. However, regardless of the type of system, most energy production systems use water, with a direct effect on local water systems. This study reviews the effects on water systems of thermal and hydro energy production. Thermoelectric power is reviewed because it uses the largest water withdrawals, and hydropower is analyzed because it is the clearest example of the interconnection between energy production and water systems. The thermoelectric part of the study describes water use by thermal plants, types of cooling systems, a solution to the effects of once-through cooling systems on river and lake systems, and the potential effects of climate change on water systems and power production. The hydroelectric part of the study elaborates on the effects of large hydropower on the environment, reduction of those effects provided by small-scale hydropower, retrofitting dams for hydropower, and the potential effects of climate change on hydropower production. Society will benefit from stakeholder collaborations that optimize the freshwater efficiency of energy production, promote responsible energy operations with respect to water quality and the ecosystem, and better use of the synergies between water and energy systems. Thermal power and hydropower are, and will continue to be, important and necessary forms of energy production. Scientific analyses of energy and water systems under conditions of climate change will continue to enhance the reliability and resilience of both systems.