Integrated impacts of future electricity mix scenarios on select southeastern US water resources

Recent studies on the relationship between thermoelectric cooling and water resources have been made at coarse geographic resolution and do not adequately evaluate the localized water impacts on specific rivers and water bodies. We present the application of an integrated electricity generation-wate...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Environmental research letters 2013-09, Vol.8 (3), p.1-11
Main Authors: Yates, D, Meldrum, J, Flores-Lopez, F, Davis, Michelle
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Chattahoochee River
Climate
Coosa River
Driers
Electricity
Flint
Fuels
low-carbon alternatives
ReEDS
Regional
Regional planning
Rivers
Thermoelectric cooling
Water resources
water temperature
WEAP
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Summary:Recent studies on the relationship between thermoelectric cooling and water resources have been made at coarse geographic resolution and do not adequately evaluate the localized water impacts on specific rivers and water bodies. We present the application of an integrated electricity generation-water resources planning model of the Apalachicola/Chattahoochee/Flint (ACF) and Alabama-Coosa-Tallapoosa (ACT) rivers based on the regional energy deployment system (ReEDS) and the water evaluation and planning (WEAP) system. A future scenario that includes a growing population and warmer, drier regional climate shows that benefits from a low-carbon, electricity fuel-mix could help maintain river temperatures below once-through coal-plants. These impacts are shown to be localized, as the cumulative impacts of different electric fuel-mix scenarios are muted in this relatively water-rich region, even in a warmer and drier future climate.
ISSN:1748-9326
1748-9326
DOI:10.1088/1748-9326/8/3/035042