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Fostering self-sustaining water-energy regions: A nexus approach to mitigate water scarcity

Sarikhani, A ; Sharif University of Technology | 2023

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  1. Type of Document: Article
  2. DOI: 10.1016/j.spc.2023.10.021
  3. Publisher: Elsevier B.V , 2023
  4. Abstract:
  5. The excessive exploitation of fossil resources has induced climate change and consequently water scarcity, which jeopardizes agriculture and the sustainable development of regions. The main objective of this study is to establish a synergy among various components of the nexus model, planning, and policy-making to address the water scarcity crisis and its adverse implications for ensuring the availability and sustainable management of water and employment growth in a region based on the regional constraints. This study develops a water-energy-food-waste nexus model that incorporates data on renewable energy potential, wastewater treatment, and specifically herbal plant cultivation, to determine the capacity of technologies to satisfy water and energy demand in a region with water scarcity. The model is optimized to minimize environmental emissions and maximize economic profit, and validated through sensitivity analysis, demonstrating its potential for sustainable planning and decision-making. Three scenarios were considered. By incorporating renewable technologies, improved irrigation methods, and waste-to-energy conversion, it is evident that relying only on wastewater treatment is not financially feasible without a water market. However, by adopting self-sufficiency in energy production and transitioning to less water-intensive herbal plants, reservoir withdrawals can be reduced by 16.9 % and the need for wastewater treatment can be decreased by 45.9 %. Additionally, the implementation of green technologies and carbon tax policies can lead to reduced emissions and increased economic profit, especially in a green state with higher carbon tax, emphasizing the importance of a comprehensive approach to sustainable development that considers employment and limited resources. © 2023 Institution of Chemical Engineers
  6. Keywords:
  7. Green region ; Self-sufficient region ; Water management ; Water scarcity ; Water-energy-food-climate nexus
  8. Source: Sustainable Production and Consumption ; Volume 43 , 2023 , Pages 230-250 ; 23525509 (ISSN)
  9. URL: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352550923002518