Policy makers are increasingly interested in the water-energy nexus. Significant amounts of water are used for extracting and transforming energy; and energy is used for collecting, pumping, treating and desalinising water. This interdependence implies that the management of energy and water should be addressed simultaneously, in order to increase energy efficiency in the water sector and reduce the water footprint of the energy industries.
The JRC [1] WEFE Nexus project (Water-Energy-Food- Ecosystems Nexus: Analysing solutions for securing supply), which began in January 2018, aims to improve the resilience of water-using sectors, allowing the JRC to leverage its capacity to integrate various policy aspects (agriculture, energy and environment) while addressing the specific needs of policy DGs.
In May 2018, the IEA’s Experts’ Group workshop [2]on R&D Priority-Setting and Evaluation explored opportunities to address the R&D planning and policies related to the energy-water nexus in a more effective way. The workshop’s report identifies nexus-related challenges and opportunities and offers perspectives and best practices.
During the same month, the second Sentinel-3 satellite (part of the European Union’s Copernicus programme) delivered its first data set. The satellite provides information about oceans and inland waters (areas, temperatures, quality and depth), vegetation, land use and many other aspects to the Copernicus Global Land service [3].
Back in 2016, the JRC and the United States Department of Energy (DoE) jointly organised the workshop Understanding the Water-Energy Nexus: Integrated Water and Power System Modelling [4]. , where experts compared and exchanged state-of-the-art modelling methodologies and best practices, discussing problems and solutions. In December 2018, the DoE will organize a follow-up event, the 2nd High-Level Workshop on Understanding the Water-Energy Nexus: Integrated Water and Power System Modelling. In this occasion, experts will discuss the results of the Integrated Water and Power System Modelling Challenge, in which different teams are modelling and analysing scenarios related to energy and water systems.
[1]The Joint Research Centre is the Commission’s science and knowledge service. The JRC employs scientists to carry out research in order to provide independent scientific advice and support for EU policy.
[2]https://www.iea.org/workshops/addressing-the-energy-water-nexus-through-rd-planning-and-policies-.html
[4]https://ec.europa.eu/jrc/en/event/workshop/understanding-water-energy-nexusintegrated-water-and-power-system-modelling