Spatial-successive transfer of virtual scarcity water along China's coal-based electric chain

Junjie Li, Yulong Yan, Yirong Wang, Yifu Zhang, Lianwei Shao and Menggang Li

Energy, 2024, vol. 288, issue C

Abstract: Spatially unbalanced energy supply and demand drive energy transfer. However, the spatial impact of energy transfers on water resources throughout the energy chain remains unexplored. This gap is largely a result of the difficulty in modeling successive transfers of virtual scarcity water (VSW). Thus, a more detailed approach than single or discrete transfer modeling is required. Here, we integrated the water footprint, water stress index, and multi-flow and multi-node models into an analytical framework for a coal-based electric chain (CBEC) to link discrete VSW transfers owing to coal transport and electricity transmission. A case study in China was modeled to illustrate the building mechanism of successive VSW transfers along the CBEC. Our model shows that interprovincial coal transport leads to a VSW transfer of 280.95 Mm3, 8.8 % of which was inherited by a VSW transfer of 388.18 Mm3 for interprovincial electricity transmission. The two-stage transfer results in a 451.42 Mm3 of difference in provincial VSW and the water scarcity footprint. We propose to promote technical-level strategies of cleaner production and technical configuration adjustment, management-level patterns of energy supply chain optimization and power source diversification, and market-level incentives of interprovincial compensation and resource coordination to enhance energy-water co-benefits.

Keywords: Coal; Electricity; Water scarcity footprint; Life cycle assessment; Spatial transfer (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:288:y:2024:i:c:s0360544223030724

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2023.129678

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