The Water-Energy Nexus: Strategic Considerations for Energy Policy-Makers
This paper explores the interconnection between water and energy production and presents energy policy-makers with factors to take into consideration for both the present and the future.Historically, the overlap of energy and water issues received little attention. Potable water became increasingly available with the use of energy to dig wells and to construct piping systems. Meanwhile, energy sources – from wood to workhorses, mined fossil fuels to steam generation – were extracted, processed and produced with water. Long overlooked, more people are becoming familiar with this water-energy nexus as demand for electricity grows and water supplies dwindle in certain regions across the world.
This paper explores the interconnection between water and energy production and presents energy policy-makers with factors to take into consideration for both the present and the future.Historically, the overlap of energy and water issues received little attention. Potable water became increasingly available with the use of energy to dig wells and to construct piping systems. Meanwhile, energy sources – from wood to workhorses, mined fossil fuels to steam generation – were extracted, processed and produced with water. Long overlooked, more people are becoming familiar with this water-energy nexus as demand for electricity grows and water supplies dwindle in certain regions across the world.