Sustainable Water-Energy Nexus towards Developing Countries’ Water Sector Efficiency

Helena M. Ramos, Jorge G. Morillo, Juan A. Rodríguez Diaz, Armando Carravetta and Aonghus McNabola
Additional contact information
Helena M. Ramos: Department of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Georesources, CERIS, Instituto Superior Técnico, University of Lisbon, 1049-001 Lisbon, Portugal
Jorge G. Morillo: Department of Agronomy, University of Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
Juan A. Rodríguez Diaz: Department of Agronomy, University of Cordoba, 14071 Cordoba, Spain
Armando Carravetta: Department of Civil, Architectural and Environmental Engineering (DICEA), University of Naples Federico II, 80125 Naples, Italy
Aonghus McNabola: Department of Civil, Structural & Environmental Engineering, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 12, 1-18

Abstract: Water management and energy recovery can improve a system’s sustainability and efficiency in a cost-effective solution. This research assesses the renewable energy sources used in the water sector, as well as the related water sector performance indicators within Portuguese water management systems. A deep analysis of 432 water entities in Portugal, based on ERSAR data base, was conducted in order to identify factors to be improved regarding the system efficiency. On the other hand, the potential energy recovery developed in the REDAWN project was also used as a reference for the application of micro hydropower (MHP) solutions in the water sector. A water and energy nexus model was then developed to improve the systems efficiency and sustainability. A real case study in Africa, the Nampula water supply system, located in Mozambique, was selected as a promising potential for energy recovery. The application of a pump-as-turbine (PAT) allows the reduction in system costs and environmental impacts while increasing its efficiency. The proposed MHP has a capacity to generate ~23 MWh/year, providing significant savings. The developed economic analysis indicates the project is profitable, with an IRR ~40% depending on the energy selling price. This project can avoid the emission of more than 12 tCO 2 to the atmosphere, and it can help to reduce the system’s real losses by more than 10,000 m 3 /year. Consequently, it creates a total economic benefit of 7604 EUR/year.

Keywords: water-energy nexus; RES; performance indicators; water supply system (WSS); developing countries; energy recovery; water system efficiency (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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