Module Concepts and Themes

1. This work is supported by a National Science Foundation (NSF) collaboration between the
Directorates for Education and Human Resources (EHR) and Geosciences (GEO) under grant DUE - 1125331
Unit 1: Food-Energy-Water Connections
slides 1–18
FOOD AS THE FOUNDATION OF
HEALTHY COMMUNITIES
Module Slides

2. UNIT 1 – CONCEPTS & THEMES LIST
- The Natural Environment
- The Human-Built Environment (Society, Economy, Urban)
- Resources, Resource Usage, Resource Management
- Human Dependency
- Limitations & Capacity
- Supply & Demand
- Cause & Effect Relationships
- Consequences & Impacts
- Systems, Interdependency, & Systems in Operation
- Agriculture
2

3. What is a Resource?
• A resource is a substance in the
environment that is:
• 1) useful to people
• 2) economically & technologically
feasible to access, and
• 3) socially acceptable to use.
Food, water, energy, air, land, buildings, ideas, etc. are all resources.
3

4. Food, Energy, & Water Demands –
Now and in the Future
IChemE: Institution of Chemical Engineers
www.icheme.org
4

5. IChemE: Institution of Chemical Engineers
www.icheme.org
5
Limitations
in a World of Demands

6. Four Types of Limitations
6
Biological/Physical Limits: “The Earth is Only So Big.” Limits
of Nature & its Resources, Biological Limits & Needs of Human
Beings.
Economic Limits: “We Can Only Afford So Much.” Limits of
Finance and Funding, Budgetary Limits.
Scientific/Technical Limits: “We Can Only Do What We
Know.” Human Knowledge Limits. Discovery, Development &
Application Limits.
Social/Political Limits: “We Can Only Afford So Much.” Limits
of Human Will and a Lack of Desire to Change Conditions.

7. viewed as a series of bi-lateral relationships
adapted from “Getting to grips with the water-energy-food nexus?” An IChemE Green Paper; (the case study diagram),
p.3 www.icheme.org
FOOD-ENERGY-WATER CONNECTIONS
7

8. 8
THE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN
THE FOOD-ENERGY-WATER SYSTEM
WATER (an extractor) . . . for ENERGY
Water is needed produce our energy; water is used to cool power plants and to grow biofuels.
WATER (a producer & purifier . . . for FOOD
Water is needed to make our crops grow .
ENERGY (an extractor, producer, deliverer, purifier, & disposer) . . . for WATER
Energy is needed to treat our water & to transport our food from field to table.
ENERGY (an extractor, producer, deliverer, purifier, & disposer) . . . for FOOD
Energy is needed to transport our food from field to table.
FOOD (a producer – biofuels) . . . for ENERGY
Provides nutrients and calories (energy) for people, and can be
used to produce energy
FOOD (a global transporter) . . . for WATER
Food transports water through sustenance (water in food & all people eat & drink)
adapted from “Getting to grips with the water-energy-food nexus?” An IChemE Green Paper; (the case study diagram), p.3 www.icheme.org

9. HOW HUMANS USE RESOURCES
http://www.worldwatch-europe.org/node/313
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10. THE SEQUENCE ORDER OF ACTIVITIES
WHEN HUMANS USE RESOURCES
• 1st – DISCOVERY
• 2nd – EXTRACTION
• 3rd – PRODUCTION (PROCESSING/PREPARATION)
• 4th – DISTRIBUTION/DELIVERY
• 5th – CONSUMPTION/USE
• 6th – DISPOSAL/WASTE or
• 6th – REUSE/REPURPOSE
10

11. http://front.moveon.org/we-usually-dont-publish-graphics-about-plastic-cutlery-but-when-we-do/#.VwVWmk32aUk
IMPRACTICAL USE of RESOURCES
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12. TYPES of PRODUCTION NEEDS
for ENERGY & WATER to PRODUCE FOOD
Source: DOE report to Congress, 2006
Food production
and distribution
require energy and
water.
Energy production
requires water:
•Thermoelectric
cooling
•Hydropower
•Extraction and mining
•Fuel Production (H2,
ethanol, biofuels)
•Emission controls
Water production
and distribution
require energy:
•Pumping
•Treatment
•Transportation
• Heating
Introduction to the Nexus
12

13. 7
Domestic,1%
Irrigation,37%
Mining,1%
Thermoelectric,41%
Public Supply,13%
U.S. Freshwater Withdrawals (2005)1
Sources: 1USGS, Estimated Use of Water in
the United States in 2005, USGS Circular
1344, 2009 2USGS, Estimated Use of Water
in the United States in 1995, USGS Circular
1200, 1998 *1995 is the most recent
consumption data collected by the USGS
Livestock,1%
Aquaculture,3%
Industrial,5%
Domestic,6%
Commercial,1%
Thermoelectric,3%
Mining,1%
Industrial, 3% Livestock,3%
U.S. Freshwater Consumption(1995)2*
Irrigation,81%
Water withdrawals: water removed from the source
(e.g., aquifer, river, lake, or ocean) for use
Water consumption: water that is removed
from the source such that it is not available for
reuse at the same location or downstream
ENERGY AND FOOD REQUIRE WATER
Withdrawal
(billion
liters daily)
Consumptio
n (billion
liters daily)
Thermoelectric 540 (41%) 15 (3%)
Irrigation 490 (37%) 405 (81%)
The electricity sector is heavily dependent on water, requiring large volumes at a
sufficient quality (e.g., temperature) for efficient production levels
Introduction
to the
Nexus
13

14. UNEQUAL WATER USAGE ON A GLOBAL LEVEL
There are geospatial and geopolitical differences in energy, water, and food
policies, status quo resource management, environmental regulations, economic
conditions, and resource (e.g., land and water) availability, all of which can provide
opportunities or cause constraints across the nexus
Water Uses for Main Income Groups of Countries (2003)
Introduction
to the
Nexus
Source: Water for Energy, World Energy
Council, 2010, Figure 3
14

15. WATER DEMAND VARIES WITHIN AN AREA:
AN EXAMPLE OF ELECTRICITY SUPPLY OPTIONS
Life cycle water
consumption across
different fuel options can
be used to compare water
requirements and to
identify the best siting
options for facilities
according to water
availability.
Most of the water
consumed (and
withdrawn) by power
plants is for cooling.
Renewables, especially
wind and solar PV, have
very low water
consumption (and
withdrawal) rates.
Source Meldrum, J., Nettles-Anderson, S.,
Heath, G., and Macknick, J. 2013. Life cycle
water use for electricity generation: a
review and harmonization of literature
estimates. Environmental Research Letters.
Introduction
to the
Nexus
15

16. 16

17. 17

18. 18