How Much Water is Embedded in Energy?

A considerable amount of water is withdrawn and used for cooling in the production of energy. The United States Geological Survey's Estimated Water Use in the United States in 2015  report estimated that 41 percent of total freshwater withdrawals in the nation were for thermoelectric power generation.

The majority of water withdrawn for energy production is termed “non-consumptive use” because it eventually is returned to the same water source where it was withdrawn. However, it doesn’t necessarily return unchanged. Impacts from the cooling process include pollution and an increase in the water temperature.

Some of the water withdrawn for energy production is termed “consumptive use” because it is lost through evaporation and is not returned to the source from which it is extracted. According to a 2003 report by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Consumptive Water Use for U.S. Power Production,  it is estimated that 2 gallons of water are consumed per kWh produced.  This is based on an average of thermoelectric and hydroelectric plants in the United States. A caveat here is that 89 percent of the energy produced in the United States is thermoelectric, which uses an estimated 0.47 gallons per kWh, while hydroelectric is estimated to consume 18.0 gallons per kWh.

Other resources:

• Congressional Research Service (2017) Energy-Water Nexus: The Energy Sector’s Water Use 
• Congressional Research Service (2013) Energy-Water Nexus: The Energy Sector’s Water Use 
• National Geographic (2013) Water Demand for Energy to Double by 2035 
• National Renewable Energy Laboratory (2003) Consumptive Water Use for U.S. Power Production 
• River Network (2012) Burning Our Rivers: The Water Footprint of Electricity 
• Scientific American Special Edition (2008) Earth 3.0: Energy versus Water: Solving Both Crises Together 
• U.S. Department of Energy (2014) The Water-Energy Nexus: Challenges and Opportunities 
• U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee (2014) The Energy-Water Nexus: Interlinked Resources That Are Vital for Economic Growth and Sustainability
• Western Resource Advocates (2012) A Powerful Thirst: Managing the Electricity Sector’s Water Needs and the Risk of Drought 
• World Policy Institute (2011) The Water-Energy Nexus: Adding Water to the Energy Agenda