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The water‐energy nexus: future water resource availability and its implications on UK thermal power generation
Author(s) -
Murrant Daniel,
Quinn Andrew,
Chapman Lee
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
water and environment journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.437
H-Index - 37
eISSN - 1747-6593
pISSN - 1747-6585
DOI - 10.1111/wej.12126
Subject(s) - nexus (standard) , water energy nexus , resource (disambiguation) , context (archaeology) , environmental resource management , natural resource economics , climate change , interdependence , population , environmental economics , environmental science , water resources , water use , environmental planning , business , engineering , geography , computer science , economics , ecology , political science , computer network , demography , archaeology , sociology , law , biology , embedded system
An increasing population coupled with the uncertain, but increasingly likely, impacts of climate change have led to a heightened level of global academic attention to the interdependencies that exist between the water and energy infrastructure networks. However, to date there has been limited research considering the water‐energy nexus within a UK context. This article reviews the global and national literature to identify how a future lack of available water resource will impact upon the UK thermal power generation fleet, both in terms of freshwater resource and environmental constraints. It concludes that a combination of freshwater resource management and adaptation to use alternative water sources will be key in mitigating and adapting to climate impacts.