Energy-Water-Food Nexus
Sufficient and secure supplies of energy, water and food are required to support the basic functioning of society and help promote resilient, sustainable development. These resource needs are becoming increasingly interdependent in the face of population growth, climate change, changing consumption patterns and urbanization. Informed planning for future development requires a sophisticated understanding of the complex interrelationships between the energy, water and food sectors. While competing demands for resources poses challenges, they also create opportunities for integrated solutions. The energy-water-food nexus resources help identify solutions that consider collective impacts and provide tools and strategies to promote sustainable development outcomes.
On these pages, the topics of energy, water and food are represented as “sectors”. Each sector considers the interrelationship between energy, water and food using an “input model”. For example, the land/food sector presents how energy and water are inputs to the land/food sector. The integrated approaches topic considers the interrelationship of all three sectors.
Energy Sector
The topic of energy includes energy sources in the built environment, electricity and thermal energy, and transportation sectors as well as industry impacts from energy use. Each subtopic is categorized by the competing demands for water and land/food resources associated with each energy source. The topic also emphasizes policies, standards and best practices for each energy source that relates to water and land/food resources. Learn more.
- Built Environment
- Electricity and Thermal Energy
- Food Resources and Land Use
- Industry Impacts
- Transport
- Water Use
Food Sector
The topic of food refers to both food and land resources. It includes fertilizers and pesticides, food production and industry impacts associated with the land/food sector. Each subtopic is categorized by the competing demands for water and energy resources. The topic also emphasizes policies, standards and best practices for land/food as they relate to water and energy resources. Learn more.
Water Sector
The topic of water is broken into major use categories, including source water, drinking water, wastewater and reuse, and it considers industry impacts from water use. Each subtopic is categorized by the competing demands for energy and land/food resources associated with each water source. The topic also emphasizes policies, standards and best practices for each water source that relates to energy and land/food resources. Learn more.
- Drinking Water
- Energy Use
- Food Resources and Land Use
- Industry Impacts
- Raw Water
- Reuse
- Wastewater and Stormwater
Integrated Approaches
The integrated approaches topic considers actions that affect all three sectors of the energy-water-food nexus. This section presents an integrated perspective on models and tools, polices and plans, resource security and technology solutions that facilitate nexus thinking or problem solving in support of sustainable development. Using an integrated approach ensures the interests of each sector are fairly represented and that no sector is short-changed in development decisions. Learn more.
Resources CESC
Publication
Wind Energy Costs in Puerto Rico Through 2035
Sources:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Date:
1 September 2022
Publication
Industrial Policy, Trade, and Clean Energy Supply Chains
Sources:
Center for Strategic and International Studies
Date:
1 February 2021
Publication
The Role of Renewable Energy in Achieving Water, Energy, and Food Security Under Climate Change Constraints in South Asia
Sources:
Frontiers in Sustainable Food Systems
Date:
16 November 2022
Publication
Diversity in Clean Energy
Sources:
Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2)
Date:
1 January 2021
Publication
Asia and the Pacific Renewable Energy Status Report
Sources:
Asian Development Bank
Date:
1 January 2020
Publication
A Review of the Current State of Research on the Water, Energy, and Food Nexus
Sources:
Elsevier
Date:
1 June 2017
Publication
Agrivoltaic Systems to Optimise Land Use for Electric Energy Production
Sources:
Applied Energy
Date:
15 June 2018
Publication
Agrivoltaic Potential on Grape Farms in India
Sources:
Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments
Date:
1 October 2017
Publication
Aquavoltaics: Synergies for Dual Use of Water Area for Solar Photovoltaic Electricity Generation and Aquaculture
Sources:
Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
Date:
1 December 2017
Publication
Assessing the Feasibility of Using Produced Water for Irrigation in Colorado
Sources:
Science of the Total Environment
Date:
1 November 2018
Publication
Cities and “Budget‐based” Management of the Energy‐Water‐Climate Nexus: Case Studies in Transportation Policy, Infrastructure Systems, and Urban Utility Risk Management
Sources:
Environmental Progress and Sustainable Energy (AlChE)
Date:
3 November 2017
Publication
Climate and Water Resource Change Impacts and Adaptation Potential for US Power Supply
Sources:
Nature International Journey of Science
University of New York
The City College of New York
National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Sandia National Laboratory
Date:
30 October 2017
Tools and Websites
Columbia Water Center: Water-Food-Energy Nexus
Sources:
Columbia Water Center
Publication
Connecting Water and Energy: Assessing the Impacts of Carbon and Water Constraints on China’s Power Sector
Sources:
Applied Energy
Date:
1 January 2017
Publication
Concrete Thermal Energy Storage for Linear Fresnel Collectors: Exploiting the South Mediterranean’s Solar Potential for Agri-food Processes
Sources:
Energy Conversion and Management
Date:
15 June 2018
Publication
Energy Modelling and the Nexus Concept
Sources:
Energy Strategy Reviews
Date:
31 October 2017
Publication
Energy use in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems (RAS): A Review
Sources:
Aquacultural Engineering (Volume 81)
Date:
1 May 2018
Tools and Websites
Energy-Water Nexus Crosscut
Sources:
U.S. Department of Energy