Abstract
This paper examines the inter-linkages between the water and energy sectors and their planning processes, by describing a comprehensive analytical tool developed to evaluate water energy nexus operational cost trends and planning to assist decision makers in exploring and evaluating alternative courses of action. Brazil has been chosen as a case study, because its electricity production is highly dependent on water to keep affordable tariffs, which in turn also serves as input to other important sectors, such as water services and sanitation, and raises disputes especially in basins marked by water scarcity, such as the Sao Francisco basin. In light of hydrological factors (e.g., droughts) and non-hydrological factors (e.g., chronic delays in delivery of new plants) there has been water availability constraints for electricity generation and energy prices have risen, while water quantity and quality have decreased for multiple users. Both of which impact negatively on water services and sanitation providers, because electricity figures as their fastest growing costs in times when they need more energy to source water from longer distances, or deeper levels because of water quantity and quality issues. Energy and water are characterized as common pool resources with planning processes along silos in Brazil that do not serve well the purpose of sustainable development. Better integrated water-energy plans at basin level is the alternative proposed under this paper to advance sustainability and mitigate the risks related to water scarcity that have resulted in negative impacts on both electricity and water sectors.
Highlights
The operational-resource interdependency between Water and Energy (WE) is a subject of several nexus studies that look into the complex interactions between them, which traditionally were based on silo thinking
Countries like Brazil are greatly dependent on hydroelectric power (63% of total installed capacity [3]) and in the past 15 years have experienced depletion of its reservoirs, with power shortages, rising electricity costs and issues of water quantity and quality that result in negative consequences to both the WE sectors
The interlinkages between WE made evident under the analytical tool depicts a nexus beyond an input and output relationship in Brazil to consider some of the operational aspects of their relationship
Summary
The operational-resource interdependency between Water and Energy (WE) is a subject of several nexus studies that look into the complex interactions between them, which traditionally were based on silo thinking. Siddiqi et al [19] argue that integrated policy and planning is necessary to meet challenges of energy and water in Jordan They recommend boundary-spanning intermediaries as the way forward by leveraging existing links between agents and organizations, or by merging existing organizations of distinct domains to create a new integrated entity and achieve the necessary linkages in future resource development strategies [19]. King et al [20] argue that the first obstacle that needs to be addressed for better integrated energy-water policies is the informational challenge This can be improved through well-structured databases and reporting requirements. Scott et al [22] argue that it isn’t just a matter of planning for optimal resource use, but one of redesigning water-intensive power generation and energy-intensive water supply technology to reduce mutual impacts through policies that consider their joint management and help unlock potential of conservation, efficiency and renewable resources. As a case study we considered Brazil because of its dependency on hydropower and the drought events over the past ten years which stressed the problems in terms of energy and water governance and planning
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