Study on impact of electricity production on regional water resource in China by water footprint

Abstract

China’s electricity demand and production face rapid growth with the fast economic development. The large-scaled water consumption and pollution caused by electricity production have put great challenges to the sustainable development of water resources. This study carried out researches on the impact of power generation on the local water resource using water footprint (WF) method. Inventory at equipment level was analyzed for thermal power to calculate the WF with the bottom-up approach. The results showed that the thermal power production leaded to a huge WF. The national average was at 6.33L/kWh (ranged from 5.27 L/kWh to 7.31 L/kWh). The obvious regional distinctions caused by the difference of cooling technology and thermal power plants capacity. The national average electricity WF was at 4.70L/kWh, and regional results ranged from 0.084 L/kWh to 7.174L/kWh, declining from east to west in general. Water stress index (WSI) was used as the water scarcity footprint evaluation indicators to analyze the impact of WF of electricity production on local water resource. The water scarcity footprint of electricity in the northern region is high, especially in North and Northwest areas, electricity production put serious threat to local available water and water environmental capacity.