Water-Energy Prototype Model for the NEMS Modeling Platform: Thermoelectric Water Demand and Its Implications on Regional Electricity Market

Erik Shuster,Dale Keairns,Arun K S Iyengar,Lessly Goudarzi,Charles Zelek,Christa Court

doi:10.4236/jwarp.2017.912093

Abstract

A simplified energy-water prototype model has been developed at the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) as a part of a larger effort to comprehensively model energy-water interactions. The NETL Water-Energy Model (NWEM) prototype passively couples a variety of data on water supply, water availability, and power plant water use with the National Energy Modeling System (NEMS) power generation forecasts. NWEM operates at a watershed level and its efficacy in resolving local water supply and water-use trade-offs was demonstrated using data from Sandia National Laboratory along with a water supply scenario projected by the World Resources Institute (WRI). The prototype model only passively utilized a forecast of power generation from an existing forecast; the model’s choices were limited to purchases or retrofitting to meet future water supply constraints. NETL is continuing to integrate the water sub-module into the NEMS framework, which will allow active interaction between the water market and power markets, extending the industry’s ability to re-dispatch its generating units with the price of water as one of the variable costs.

Highlights

NETL Water-Energy Model (NWEM) operates at a watershed level and its efficacy in resolving local water supply and water-use trade-offs was demonstrated using data from Sandia National Laboratory along with a water supply scenario projected by the World Resources Institute (WRI)
The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is exploring methods for examining the relative severity of the threats associated with water availability for electric power generation and for estimating the costs and benefits associated with mitigating their impacts
While the NWEM operates at a watershed level, the model decisions were aggregated over all watershed regions to discern the impacts at a national level (38 states)

Summary

Introduction

The United States (U.S.) Department of Energy’s (DOE) National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) is exploring methods for examining the relative severity of the threats associated with water availability for electric power generation and for estimating the costs and benefits associated with mitigating their impacts. As part of this effort, NETL aims to develop tools and metrics that allow for a better understanding of power plant water utilization under potential water constrained futures. Liu et al [12] employed GCAM-USA to examine trends in water usage across the states within the U.S

Results

Discussion

Conclusion