Life-cycle uses of water in U.S. electricity generation

Vasilis Fthenakis and Hyung Chul Kim

Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 2010, vol. 14, issue 7, 2039-2048

Abstract: Water use by the electric power industry is attracting renewed interest as periods and zones of arid weather are increasingly encountered, and various regional energy-production scenarios are evaluated. However, there is a scarcity of data on upstream water factors and discrepancies of data from different sources. We reviewed previous studies of water use in electricity generation and used full-life cycle accounting to evaluate water demand factors, both withdrawal and consumption, for conventional- and renewable-electrical power plants. Our investigation showed that moving to technologies like photovoltaics and wind offers the best option for conserving our water supply. We also emphasize the importance of employing a transparent, balanced approach in accounting life-cycle water usages.

Keywords: Life; cycle; Water; use; Electricity; Renewable; energy; Photovoltaics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2010
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (65)

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