Author(s): Yihong Xiao, Jiangyu Dai, Shiqiang Wu, Xinghua Xie, Benyou Jia, Guoyi Han, Weinberg Josh
Linked Author(s): Jiangyu Dai
Keywords: Water-energy nexus, energy consumption, water demand management, forecast, Wuxi city.
Abstract: Water and energy are the two crucial resources for the world's sustainable development. The pressures of the rapid urbanization process on water and energy demands are both significantly increasing, which must cope with the simultaneous consideration of water and energy systems. Understanding such water-energy nexus and, in turn, identifying optimal options for enhancing resource use efficiency and productivity has drawn strong attention in recent years. Wuxi is a fast-developing city in the most developed Yangtze River Delta region of China. Taking the Wuxi city as an example, this paper forecasted the water allocation required to ensure the growing energy consumption in the city by 2020 and 2030. The paper firstly maps the city's water use system, including the ecological water use. Within the water use system, three indicators are selected for in-depth analysis: the amount of production energy consumption, life power consumption and sewage discharge. Second, the paper analyzed the energy consumption of each industry and their implications on water use. Furthermore, a forecast is made on the water allocation required to enable the energy consumption by 2020 and 2030 in the city. Comparing the results with the �Water Modernization Plan of Wuxi City�, the paper concludes that the Plan is generally sound, but more water can be saved through better options for efficiency gain
Year: 2017