Energy and water nexus in power generation: The surprisingly high amount of industrial water use induced by solar power infrastructure in China

A crucial aspect of the energy and water nexus is reflected with the revelation of the surprisingly high amount of industrial water use induced by plant infrastructure of a pilot solar power generation system in China, by means of a concrete hybrid of process analysis and Input-Output analysis. With an inclusive collection of all the input items as products of the economy, this scoping distinguishes from existing accountings that either overlook the construction stage or simply cover the plant infrastructure of solar power system as some primary materials. Supported by embodied water database from input-output analysis, the industrial water use induced by each input item is fully addressed. The industrial water use induced by the solar power plant infrastructure is revealed to be over one order of magnitude higher than that in previous scoping: this magnitude approximately doubles the life cycle industrial freshwater withdrawal of typical coal-fired power generation system for per unit amount of electricity generated. Under the 2020 scenario raised in the newly issued 13th Five Year Plan for Renewable Energy Development, the annual industrial water use induced by solar thermal power infrastructure in China is accordingly estimated, in magnitude up to around 30% of the total industrial freshwater use in Beijing in the year 2014, one-fourth of that in Tianjin, and one-tenth of that in Shanxi, respectively. In the long term water-saving planning, the promotion of solar power installations is afforded further consideration. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.