World Resources Institute | By: Jiao Wang, Leah Schleifer and Lijin Zhong | GPE – July 13, 2017:
Drought in Kenya and neighboring countries became so severe earlier this year that the government of Kenya declared a national disaster. Already, the effects have been devastating: Food production dropped, leaving more than 2.6 million people without access to sufficient food. Some villagers have lost 40 percent of their livestock.
Originally published – June 29, 2017: Amidst the human tragedy of this drought, an unexpected actor faced shutdowns and economic losses due to water scarcity: the power sector. Almost 70 percent of Kenya’s electricity is generated by two water-dependent sources: hydropower and fossil fuels. According to Business Daily, the drought has caused Kenya’s reserve energy margin—the amount of energy needed to meet peak demands— to drop to 4.4 percent, far lower than the recommended 15 percent needed to minimize risk of blackouts.
Kenya isn’t the only country whose electricity supplies have been impacted by scarce water: In 2016 India’s coal power sector—which is highly dependent on water for cooling—suffered profit losses of, at minimum, $350 million due to severe drought.
As energy demand from industrial and domestic uses increases and water availability decreases, the energy industry in Kenya, India and other water-stressed locations around the world face increased business risks.
The Water-Energy Connection:
Hydropower and thermoelectric power make up 98 percent of the world’s electricity generation. These two most common forms of power are also the most water-intensive, which makes them extremely vulnerable to drought, competition over water resources and other water shortages.
Hydropower’s dependency on ample water resources is clear. Dams convert falling water—mechanical energy— into electrical energy. Without water, there is no energy source to convert. Such is the case during Kenya’s drought.
The water intensity of thermal power plants, however, is not immediately obvious. Thermal power plants use fuel to create heat, which is then converted to electrical energy. These plants whether fueled by coal, natural gas, nuclear energy or even solar thermal electric energy—often require water to cool down plants’ high temperatures. A water shortage—or water with too high of a temperature—can impede this process.
Water is also integral to a plant’s core functioning, since heating water into steam powers the turbines of most thermal power plants. Many thermal power plants are located next to bodies of water, so that they can easily withdraw what they need. When water supply is interrupted, a plant could suffer generation disruptions, or even shut down completely.
A Global Problem:
In 2016, the World Energy Council warned, “we will start to see the effects of water scarcity on energy supplies in the very near future.” The effects are already starting to show, as evidenced by Kenya and India’s droughts and subsequent power plant curtailments. This issue is not unique to one country or continent; power plants from Asia to Europe to Africa to the Americas are suffering due to water scarcity.
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