Sector
Energy and power generation
Thermal power generation is the largest industrial water withdrawer in most developed economies, and the clearest case where withdrawal and consumption must not be confused.
Key facts
- Once-through cooling withdrawal
- very high; consumption around 1% of withdrawal
- Recirculating tower withdrawal
- roughly 2% of once-through; consumption around 70–80% of withdrawal
- Dry cooling
- Minimal water, at an efficiency and capital cost penalty
What drives water use in this sector
- Cooling technology: once-through, recirculating tower, or dry cooling
- Thermal efficiency of the plant
- Ambient water temperature, which constrains discharge under environmental permits
- Fuel type — nuclear plants typically have lower thermal efficiency and therefore higher cooling water demand per unit output
Related intelligence
Sources
- Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations — AQUASTAT — Global Information System on Water and Agriculture. Public but restricted · CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
- United States Geological Survey — Estimated Use of Water in the United States. Open · US Government work — public domain
- International Energy Agency — Water–energy nexus analysis. Public but restricted · Publisher terms — public access, reuse not clearly granted