Unraveling energy–water nexus paths in urban agglomeration: A case study of Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei

Abstract

Energy and water are closely intertwined within economic sectors in urban systems. The direct and indirect linkages between them in economic systems, termed the energy–water nexus, have been widely studied from production and consumption perspectives. However, the step-by-step linkages from initial production to final consumption remain unclear, particularly the indirect linkages. In this paper, we develop a multiregional energy–water nexus path model based on multiregional input–output analysis and structural path analysis. The results show that the top 50 ranking paths of water-related energy induced by rural household, urban household, and government consumption account for 84%, 82%, and 90%, respectively, of total flows, whereas the corresponding figures for energy-related water are 57%, 58% and 76%, respectively. The proportion of the top 50 paths within total paths is much lower for energy-related water than is the case for water-related energy. Sectoral flows within Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei account for 87% of the total, whereas cross-regional flows only account for 13%. By comparing the energy–water nexus from production, consumption, and supply chain perspectives, we aim to identify the critical, yet often overlooked, energy–water nexus paths and transmission sectors to enhance coordinated energy–water management in urban systems.