The energy required for water will increase! - 22 March 2014
Dursun YILDIZ
Since declared by the United Nations General Assembly in 1993, the date 22 March has been celebrated as the World Water Day. Since 1995, theme of the World Water Day was Trans-boundary Waters in 2009, Water Quality in 2010, Water and Urbanization in 2011, Water and Food Safety in 2012, Water Cooperation and the theme of the current year is “Water and Energy”.
The concepts of “water for energy” and “energy for water” have been widely used in water and energy agenda and they commonly used together. In the “Water in Changing World” report presented in 5th World Water Forum by UNESCO, the ever-increasing and changing stress exerted on water was pointed out. In this report, it was pointed out that impacts of demographic, social, technical, ecological and political factors should all be taken into consideration in utilizations of water resources and the relationships between water and energy were brought to the agenda.
The theme of the present year “Water and Energy” is to take the attentions to such relationships and to increase the awareness on this issue since the demand for both energy and water are rapidly increasing throughout the world.
Of the general energy use of the world, 8% is used for water supply and treatment.
It was proposed that energy demand of the world will increase by 60% in the year 2060 from the amount required in the year 2002. We are approaching to an era in which majority of the energy will be used for water and majority of water will be used for energy.
In another word, from now on, water sector will be more energy-intense and energy sector will be more water-intense.
Water will be used more intensely for energy
Petrol plays a highly significant role in meeting the energy demand of the world and water is used both in oil drilling and processing. It was indicated in literature that about 2-20 barrel water was used to drill 1 barrel oil.
Beside this, Biomass use for energy production is also increasing in each day and that means more intense water use for energy.
U.S. freshwater withdrawals, 2005. Water for energy is almost equal piece of the pie. (Source: UCS compilation of USGS data — Kenny et al. 2009)
Energy demand for water is also increasing
Energy plays a significant role in conveyance, distribution, treatment and utilization of vital drinking and domestic water. Drinking and domestic water are supplied to large cities from several hundred kilometers. Such distances significantly increase the energy expenses for operation and maintenance works. Of the general energy use of the world, 8% is used for water supply and treatment.
There is highly intensive energy use in wastewater and seawater treatment systems and processes. Such systems should initially consider economical energy supply in water treatment or reuse planning activities.
In the 5th World Water Forum, the amount of energy used in water sector of Netherland was indicated as 14.7% of the total energy use of the country. Beside this, 20% of total energy use in California, USA was water-related uses.
In Turkey, 2.5% of total electricity consumption of the country is used in agricultural irrigations. Such a ratio is indicated as 10% in Canada, 8% in Germany, 6% in Italy, 5% in Spain and Poland.
All these comments not only put forth the significance of energy for water, but also present that energy saving can be achieved through efficient water use.
Energy and Water Policies Relations are increasing!
Energy and water have got into inseparable relations. Water has become an integral component of the policies for the development and use of energy-sources. Water is used in energy sector for energy production and cooling purposes. The water used for cooling purposes in thermic and nuclear power plants is also used in a passive fashion in bioenergy production.
Energy need in agricultural irrigations
Energy demand in agricultural irrigations plays a significant role with regard to the amount used and productivity of the agricultural activities. Affordable energy costs are the primary pre-condition for the sustainability especially of the pumping irrigations.
Energy demand is directly affected by the changes in demographic, economic, social, technological and consumptions patterns with direct pressures on water resources.
Energy consumption also constitutes a primary component of climate change and environmental destruction with direct impacts on water resources sustainability.
Therefore, it is clearly evident that energy and water policies, from now on, will be more interrelated.
Present developments indicate that electricity use will definitely increase in the future for both irrigation and drinking-domestic water supplies and thus water and energy policies should be taken together into consideration.
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