Presentation on Water and Energy Nexus and Challenges by Michela Miletto, World Water Assessment Programme (WWAP), Coordinator a.i. at 2014 UN-Water Annual International Zaragoza Conference. Preparing for World Water Day 2014: Partnerships for improving water and energy access, efficiency and sustainability. 13-16 January 2014.

1. Michela Miletto
WWAP, Coordinator a.i.
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3. FRESHWATER AND
ENERGY ARE CRUCIAL
FOR HUMAN WELL
BEING AND SOCIOECONOMIC
DEVELOPMENT
People without access to
improved water
0.76 billion
People whose right to
water is not satisfied
3.5 billion
People without access to
improved sanitation
2.5 billion
People lacking access to
electricity
1.3 billion
People using solid fuels for
cooking
2.6 billion
THE MAJORITY OF THE
UNSERVED
POPULATION RESIDES
IN LDCS AND SUBSAHARAN AFRICA IN
PARTICULAR
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4. POPULATION USING SOLID FUELS FOR COOKING AND WITHOUT ACCESS TO
ELECTRICITY, IMPROVED WATER AND SANITATION
THE CASE OF SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
(selected representative countries):
Using solid
fuel for
cooking
No access to
electricity
No access to
improved
water
No access to
sanitation
78%
66%
31%
78%
IT IS NO COINCIDENCE THAT THE FIGURES CONCERNING ACCESS TO
WATER/SANITATION SERVICES AND ENERGY ALIGN SO WELL.
IT IS OFTEN THE SAME PEOPLE WHO ARE MISSING OUT ON BOTH.
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5. WATER AVAILABILITY: APPROACHING CRITICAL LIMITS
Annual average scarcity in major river basins (1995-2005)
Increase of 1% per
year of total
freshwater
withdrawals (19872000)
Increase by 55% by
2050 of global water
demand in terms of
withdrawals
Map prepared for GEO5 (UNEP)
Map prepared for GEO5
(UNE 5
P)

6. WATER AVAILABILITY: APPROACHING CRITICAL LIMITS
Major aquifers
20% of the
world’s
aquifers are
over-exploited
Groundwater
abstraction increasing
by 1% -2% per year
Water stress of aquifers important for farming (Nature 488, 197–200)
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7. HOW MUCH WATER IS REQUIRED FOR PRIMARY ENERGY
PRODUCTION?
Water withdrawals and consumption vary for fuel production (IEA, 2012)
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8. GROWING DEMAND FOR ENERGY
(IEA, 2012).
Increase by 1/3 by 2035.
Currently, energy accounts for 15% of all freshwater withdrawals.
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9. Fact: 80% of
the world’s
electricity is
provided by
fossil fuels and
nuclear power
WHERE DOES
OUR
ELECTRICITY
COME FROM?
Electrical
power
generation is
expected to
increase by
70% by 2035!
World electricity generation by source of energy in 2010
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10. HOW MUCH WATER IS REQUIRED FOR ELECTRICITY PRODUCTION?
Water use for electricity generation by cooling technology (IEA, 2012)
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11. WHERE ARE WE HEADED?
New
technologies
largely
sustainable
Peaking
fossil fuels
Stanford University Global
Climate and Energy Project
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12. THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NEXUS: ENERGY
WATER
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13. FOSSIL FUELS AND ELECTRICITY GENERATION:
THE
CHALLENGE…
nuclear
approximately 90% of
global power
generation is water
intensive
natural gas
diesel
coal
oil
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14. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS?
HYDROPOWER
90% of expected increase in 2010-2035 would
be in non OECD Countries
Hydropower undeveloped potential
Africa
92%
Asia
80%
Australia/Ocea
nia
80%
Latin America
74%
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15. POTENTIAL SOLUTIONS?
GEOTHERMAL
Use of geothermal energy for
power generation is
underdeveloped and its potential is
greatly underappreciated. It is
climate independent, produces
minimal or near-zero greenhouse
gas (GHG) emissions,
does not consume water,
and its availability is
infinite at human time
scales.
From a water perspective,
solar photovoltaic and
wind are the most
sustainable sources for
power generation but
they provide an
intermittent service.
WIND
SOLAR
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16. OPPORTUNITIES FOR SYNERGIES: CO-PRODUCING ENERGY
AND WATER SERVICES
•
•
•
•
Combined power
and desalination
plants
Alternative water
sources for thermal
power plant cooling
Combined heat and
power plants
Sewage water
energy recovery
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17. Thank you
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