The water-energy nexus: future water resource availability and its implications on UK thermal power generation

An increasing population coupled with the uncertain, but increasingly likely, impacts of climate change have led to a heightened level of global academic attention to the interdependencies that exist between the water and energy infrastructure networks. However, to date there has been limited research considering the water-energy nexus within a UK context. This article reviews the global and national literature to identify how a future lack of available water resource will impact upon the UK thermal power generation fleet, both in terms of freshwater resource and environmental constraints. It concludes that a combination of freshwater resource management and adaptation to use alternative water sources will be key in mitigating and adapting to climate impacts.