This document discusses the water-energy nexus on Cyprus. It outlines that Cyprus' energy sector is heavily dependent on fossil fuel imports and its water sector relies on desalination which uses significant energy. Climate change is projected to increase temperatures and drought, further stressing these sectors. Co-locating concentrating solar power with desalination could help address these challenges by producing renewable electricity and fresh water in an integrated way.

1. The Energy-Water
Nexus on Cyprus
Manfred A. Lange
Energy, Environment and Water Research Center
The Cyprus Institute
Workshop: Energy Issues Facing Cyprus
Nicosia, 14. Oct. 2011
Manfred A. Lange • 10/21/2011 • 1

2. Outline
• Background: The Nexus concept
• The Current Energy Sector
• The Current Water Sector
• The Energy-Water Nexus
• Future Perspectives: Climate Change
• Adaptation and Mitigation Measures
• Conclusions

3. Background: The Nexus Concept1)
• There are rapidly increasing multiple pressures on the water, energy
and food security, including:
– Growing demands on resources, and resource degradation
– Urbanization
– Globalization
– Climate change and the need for adaptation and mitigation
• The interactions and feedbacks between these pressures drive social-
ecological systems at all scales towards critical thresholds and
constitute the Water-Energy-Food Nexus
• To meet the nexus challenges a sustainability transition is required
• Conventional sectoral approaches and optimization of single goals will
have to be replaced by co-management and co-governance of water-,
energy-, food- (and environmental) security
• In this paper we focus on Cyprus and on the Water-Energy Nexus
1) Based on: H. Hoff: Scientific Background Paper for the Bonn 2011
Conference: The Water, Energy and Food Security Nexus; DRAFT; pers. com.

4. The Current Energy Sector
• Cyprus energy sector heavily dependent on
hydrocarbon imports
• Only 5% of the demand is satisfied through
renewables (solar-thermal water heating)
• Energy consumption: transport dominates
• CO2 emissions of 8.403 Mill. t in 2008 Main sources of energy in Cyprus; Kassini, 2006
•  well above EU allotment
– National Allocation Plan, 2007: 6.252 Mill. t of CO2
– total greenhouse gas emissions: 10.026 Mill. t
• Cyprus greenhouse gas emission reduction
goals:
– Fraction of RES: 13% (by 2020)
– Energy efficiency enhancement: 10% (by 2016)
Final energy consumption in
Cyprus; after Kassini, 2006
4

5. The Current Energy Sector
• Electricity capacity of three power stations (2008): 930 MW;
production: 5 224 GWh; CO2 emissions of 4.196 Mill. t
• Three combined-cycle-gas-turbine (CCGT) -power plants (capacity
220 MW) are/will be commissioned in 2009, 2011, 2013 resp.
• Electricity consumption
– Steady increase since 1966
– Summer and winter maxima
– Domestic and commercial sectors dominate
Monthly maximum
electricity demand
(1997 to 2006; top)
and increase in mean
monthly electricity
consumption in
Cyprus (1966-2009;
bottom); source: TSO
(2010)
Mean Sectoral Electricity Consumption in percent for
1975-2009 ; source: Statistical Services Cyprus_2010 5

6. The Current Water Sector
• Reduced precipitation leads to low storage in dams  water scarcity
• Water Consumption in Cyprus
– Agriculture dominates, domestic consumption is close second
Storage: 131 M m3
on 13.10.2011
Sectoral water demand in Cyprus for 2011;
source: WDD, 2010
Water storage in dams for 1988-2010; source:
Water Development Department, 2011 6

7. The Current Water Sector
• Domestic Water Supply
Government Water Works – Domestic Supply Sources 1991-2010; source:
Water Development Department, 2010 7

8. The Current Water Sector
• Current seawater desalination:
– Water produced, 47,8 Mm3 = 66% of total demand (72,3 Mm3 )
– Total cost of desalination (1997-2007): M€ 218
– Annual electricity consumption: 214 GWh/year
– Combined contribution to national CO2 emissions (2009): 4,15%
• Additional seawater desalination:
– Annually (max.): 44.5 Mm3 to be produced with conventional energy
– Total (existing + new): 92,3 Mm3 per year  128 % of current demand
Plant Min. Yearly Cost Cost
Prod.(Mm3) (M€) (€/m3)
Dhekelia 19,8 16,2 0,82
Larnaca 21,4 22,3 1,08
Moni 6,6 9,0 1,39
Total/Mean 47,8 47,5 1,01
Source: Manoli, 2010)

9. The Water-Energy Nexus
• In addressing the Water-Energy Nexus, the following issues should
be considered:
– Coolant water in electricity power plants
– Electrical energy for seawater desalination
– Energy for water pumping in large-scale distribution/irrigation distribution
networks
• Cooling for the electric power stations
– 6m3/s for each 100 MW of power generated  1,32×109m3/year for
18h/day, 365 days
– Sea water and water cooled condensers are utilized for cooling
– Water is heated to 7oC above intake temperatures
– However, due to outlet culvert design and enhanced mixing at outlet points
water temperatures only slightly above ambient seawater temperatures
– While the impact of coolant water release on near-coastal ecosystems is
currently ill-defined, it may be minimal as a result of the described
precautions taken

10. The Water-Energy Nexus
• Electrical energy for seawater desalination
– Electricity need for seawater desalination: 4,5 kWh/m3
– At current production, total electricity consumption: 214 GWh/year
– For future expansion to annually 92,3 Mm3 of desalinated seawater:
415,4 GWh/year  8% of the total electricity consumption for 2008
– Enhanced emissions of CO2 are to be expected
• Energy for water transport and distribution
– Currently no exact figures available
– In the United States of America, 4% of the nation’s electricity use goes
towards moving and treating water and wastewater
– If we adopt this number for Cyprus  180 MWh/a of electricity will be
expanded
– This corresponds to 3.5% of the total electricity consumption for 2008
– Enhanced emissions of CO2 are to be expected

11. Future Perspectives: Climate Change
• Mean summer (JJA) maximum temperatures
Reference Case ∆Tmax: ~1 to 3oC
1980 -1999 2000 - 2019
∆Tmax: ~2 to 5oC ∆Tmax: ~3 to 8oC
2040 - 2059 2080 - 2099
Projections of future climate conditions as derived from the PRECIS
11
regional climate model; source: Hadjinicolaou, pers. comm.

12. Future Perspectives: Climate Change
• Climate extremes: hot days, warm nights, droughts
• Less winter rain
Today
Quantity 2021-2050 2071-2100
(1976-2000)
Days with Tmax > 35oC 60 85 (+42%) 120 (+100%)
Tropical Nights with Tmin > 25oC 75 120 (+60%) 165 (+120%)
Dry spells: consecutive days with
100 108 (+8%) 120 (+20%)
precipitation < 1 mm
∆Pw ≈ -25% for 2021-2050 ∆Pw ≈ -40% for 2071-2100
Average change in total winter precipitation (Pw ) relative to
reference; source: Hadjinicolaou, pers. comm.

13. Impacts: Increasing Energy Needs
• Additional energy needed for the space cooling and desalination
considered for Cyprus are: ~670 000 MWh (15.4%) of the total
electricity consumption for 2005 (TSO, 2010)
• Estimate of increasing energy needs conservative
• It does not take into considerations other sectors of the economy,
which might similarly require additional energy/electricity under
conditions of a warmer and drier climate
• Examples include:
– Transport sector: sustained air-conditioning in cars  higher fuel
consumption  increasing energy consumption
– Services sector: increasing demand for air-conditioning and for additional
potable water derived from seawater desalination  increasing
energy/electricity consumption
• We expect an increase in energy demand of ~20 to 30% of the total
electricity consumption in Cyprus for the period 2021-2050 relative
to the 1961-1990 reference period

14. Adaptation/Mitigation: CSP-DSW
• Drawbacks of Seawater Desalination
– Relatively energy-intensive
– Use of conventional fuels: significant share of electricity
consumption, noticeable CO2 emission
• Remedies
– Switch from oil- to natural-gas fired power plants 
– Import of water by ship 
• In 2008: 8 Mm3 shipped from Greece; cost ∼€42 M (∼€5/m3)
– Use of renewable energy
sources
• Solar energy seems most
effective 
• Concentrating Solar Power (CSP)
holds significant promise 1 900
kWh/m2
14

15. Adaptation/Mitigation: CSP-DSW
• CSP Plants represent proven technology
• Due to heat storage  24h/7 d operation possible
• Modest land requirement: ≈25 km2 to satisfy all
Cypriot electricity needs
CSP Plant, Kramer Junction,, CA,
USA
CSP Plant, Kramer Junction,, CA,
USA
Schematic representation and flow diagram of a Typical CSP
power plant (Source: F. Morse, pers. comm.) 15

16. Adaptation/Mitigation: CSP-DSW
Multi-Effect Desalination
• Co-Generation of Electricity
&Water through CSP: how?
• Replace Cooling System
by MED
16

17. Conclusions
• Current energy/electricity sector dominated by fossil fuel
consumption  dependence on energy markets; CO2 emissions
• Climate projections: hot summers, increasing drought
• Impacts: increasing need for energy (20-30% of current
consumption) and water (desalination)
• These challenges, constituting the Water-Energy Nexus on
Cyprus; they have to be addressed holistically
• Solutions have to be found that strive to co-manage energy and
water security
• Adaptation/Mitigation strategies
– Co-generation of electricity and desalinated seawater through
employment of concentrating solar power
• This technology has the potential to address the Water-Energy
Nexus on Cyprus adequately
• It should be pursued vigorously