The water-energy nexus, a perspective from island regions as isolated areas

Abstract

The energy-water nexus is a critical aspect of sustainable development in the modern world. This doctoral thesis investigates the relationship between energy and water resources in various contexts, including urban environments and isolated regions. The study encompasses the impact of climate change, renewable energy systems, and the interdependence of resources. Through comprehensive modelling and analysis, this research emphasizes the importance of understanding the energy-water nexus, particularly in isolated areas. The incorporation of advanced technologies and renewable systems, tailored to local conditions, emerges as a solution for decarbonizing electricity systems and achieving water balance. This work also elucidates the nexus's influence across sectors, spanning agriculture, transportation, commerce, hotels, and residential domains. One significant contribution of this thesis lies in its advancement of the state of the art within this them. By providing quantitative and visualizations, it offers a comprehensive understanding of complex systems, allowing for optimized processes and the development of sustainable strategies. This research serves as a crucial foundation for future energy and water policies, facilitating systemic sustainability management and addressing global concerns regarding resource interdependencies. This thesis addresses the problems by proposing a visualization of an island's issues on a global level through a Sankey diagram and modelling the impact of these resources in the future under current trends, as well as under a hypothesis where only renewable technology is used. The first step was to evaluate Tenerife Island from the energy-water-CO2 nexus, identify the current context, and estimate a trend scenario and a 100% renewable scenario. Secondly, the research proposes a study that analyzes the economic feasibility of 100% photovoltaic solar pumping on the island. Finally, the methodology is extrapolated to an island with similar conditions in an emerging country to analyze the energy-water-CO2 relationship.