Water use in China’s power sector: impact of renewables and cooling technologies to 2030
This brief examines the expected impact of China’s power sector on water and climate in 2030. Building on plans announced at COP21 in Paris and earlier analyses by China Water Risk and IRENA, it assesses the impact of different options for China’s power mix in 2030 on water use and carbon emissions. The analysis finds that a power sector transformation driven by renewables would also yield benefits in areas related to water. The magnitude of these effects reaffirms the importance of integrated water and energy decision-making in the power sector. Indeed, tomorrow’s water resources should be considered as part of energy decisions today.