Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008
Water use by the electricity sector represents a significant portion of the United States water budget (41% of total freshwater withdrawals; 3% consumed). Sustainable management of water resources necessitates an accurate accounting of all water demands, including water use for generation of electri...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2013-01-01
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| Series: | Environmental Research Letters |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015001 |
| _version_ | 1797748512274776064 |
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| author | K Averyt J Macknick J Rogers N Madden J Fisher J Meldrum R Newmark |
| author_facet | K Averyt J Macknick J Rogers N Madden J Fisher J Meldrum R Newmark |
| author_sort | K Averyt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Water use by the electricity sector represents a significant portion of the United States water budget (41% of total freshwater withdrawals; 3% consumed). Sustainable management of water resources necessitates an accurate accounting of all water demands, including water use for generation of electricity. Since 1985, the Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA) has collected self-reported data on water consumption and withdrawals from individual power generators. These data represent the only annual collection of water consumption and withdrawals by the electricity sector. Here, we compile publically available information into a comprehensive database and then calculate water withdrawals and consumptive use for power plants in the US. In effect, we evaluate the quality of water use data reported by EIA for the year 2008. Significant differences between reported and calculated water data are evident, yet no consistent reason for the discrepancies emerges. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:05:51Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-b1f8314600de4dc3b7e0c9ddfc2baf3a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1748-9326 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-12T16:05:51Z |
| publishDate | 2013-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental Research Letters |
| spelling | doaj.art-b1f8314600de4dc3b7e0c9ddfc2baf3a2023-08-09T14:22:20ZengIOP PublishingEnvironmental Research Letters1748-93262013-01-018101500110.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015001Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008K Averyt0J Macknick1J Rogers2N Madden3J Fisher4J Meldrum5R Newmark6Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Western Water Assessment, University of Colorado Boulder , Boulder, CO 80305, USANational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Strategic Energy Analysis Center , 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO 80401, USAUnion of Concerned Scientists , 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USAUnion of Concerned Scientists , 2 Brattle Square, Cambridge, MA 02139, USASynapse Energy Economics , 485 Massachusetts Avenue, Suite 2, Cambridge, MA 02139, USACooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, Western Water Assessment, University of Colorado Boulder , Boulder, CO 80305, USANational Renewable Energy Laboratory, Strategic Energy Analysis Center , 15013 Denver West Parkway, Golden, CO 80401, USAWater use by the electricity sector represents a significant portion of the United States water budget (41% of total freshwater withdrawals; 3% consumed). Sustainable management of water resources necessitates an accurate accounting of all water demands, including water use for generation of electricity. Since 1985, the Department of Energy (DOE) Energy Information Administration (EIA) has collected self-reported data on water consumption and withdrawals from individual power generators. These data represent the only annual collection of water consumption and withdrawals by the electricity sector. Here, we compile publically available information into a comprehensive database and then calculate water withdrawals and consumptive use for power plants in the US. In effect, we evaluate the quality of water use data reported by EIA for the year 2008. Significant differences between reported and calculated water data are evident, yet no consistent reason for the discrepancies emerges.https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015001energy water nexuselectricityfreshwater demands |
| spellingShingle | K Averyt J Macknick J Rogers N Madden J Fisher J Meldrum R Newmark Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008 Environmental Research Letters energy water nexus electricity freshwater demands |
| title | Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008 |
| title_full | Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008 |
| title_fullStr | Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008 |
| title_full_unstemmed | Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008 |
| title_short | Water use for electricity in the United States: an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008 |
| title_sort | water use for electricity in the united states an analysis of reported and calculated water use information for 2008 |
| topic | energy water nexus electricity freshwater demands |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/8/1/015001 |
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