Regional trends and socioeconomic drivers of energy-related water use in China from 2007 to 2017

• Published in: Energy (Oxford) 2023-07, Vol.275, p.127404, Article 127404
• Main Authors: Cai, Beiming, Jiang, Ling, Liu, Yu, Wang, Feng, Zhang, Wei, Yan, Xu, Ge, Zhenzi
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Energy sectors; Multiregional input-output model; Structural decomposition analysis; Virtual water flows; Water consumption; Water withdrawal
• ISSN: 0360-5442
• DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2023.127404

Most studies have calculated the water use of energy sectors in China based on data on a specific year or life cycle assessment and lacked the impact of energy trade between regions on regional water use for different time periods. The uneven distribution of water resources and energy causes assessments should be more comprehensive at the time scale. In this study, we calculate both the production- and consumption-based regional water use of energy sectors from 2007 to 2017, and explore the driving forces behind the changes in water use. We find that the water use of energy sectors showed a decreasing trend during this period, and that the reduction in water use intensity made the largest contribution to this change. The direction of virtual water flows related to energy trade did not show a consistent trend from 2007 to 2017, and for some provinces, the role of exporters and importers varied during the study period. Although the water use of energy sectors has already decreased, policy-makers from both the water and energy sectors should still consider the possible water pressure caused by energy production and consumption in the future, especially under the possible rapid regional economic development in China. •Water consumption and withdrawal of energy sectors are decreasing for provinces.•Virtual water direction of energy trade between regions show no consistent trend.•Role of exporters and importer for virtual water flows of energy trade were varied.•Water use efficiency improvement made the largest contribution to the decrease.•Economic development curbed the decreasing trend of water use for energy sectors.