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The Water Footprint Assessment of Electricity Production: An Overview of the Economic-Water-Energy Nexus in Italy

Author

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  • Pier Paolo Miglietta

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Salento, Via per Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

  • Domenico Morrone

    (Department of Management, LUM University, S.S. 100 km 18, 70010 Casamassima, Italy)

  • Federica De Leo

    (Department of Economics and Management, University of Salento, Via per Monteroni, 73100 Lecce, Italy)

Abstract

The term “water-energy nexus” has remarkable implications in the sustainable management of water resources. The aim of this paper is to analyse the production of electricity, from an economic and technical perspective, using the water footprint and economic water productivity approaches. After comparing the percentage of contribution of fossil and renewable sources to the production of the electricity sector, the study then compares the percentage of contribution of fossil and renewable sources to the consumptive water footprint of Italian electricity production for each year analysed. Furthermore, distinguishing between renewable and fossil sources, the paper proceeds to assess the total consumptive water footprint generated by each energy source for the electricity production in Italy during the period 2007–2016. The study represents an original contribution for the identification of policies and managerial implications in the context of the energy sector, serving as a practical guide. The results, in fact, confirm the need for scientific and practical efforts to manage electricity production in an integrated perspective and provide a first glance at addressing the optimal design of energy source mix in the Italian regulation context, contributing to reducing the water footprint, without ignoring the economic aspects.

Suggested Citation

  • Pier Paolo Miglietta & Domenico Morrone & Federica De Leo, 2018. "The Water Footprint Assessment of Electricity Production: An Overview of the Economic-Water-Energy Nexus in Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(1), pages 1-14, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:1:p:228-:d:127370
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Shasha Wang & Rongrong Li, 2018. "Toward the Coordinated Sustainable Development of Urban Water Resource Use and Economic Growth: An Empirical Analysis of Tianjin City, China," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Zohrabian, Angineh & Sanders, Kelly T., 2018. "Assessing the impact of drought on the emissions- and water-intensity of California's transitioning power sector," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 123(C), pages 461-470.
    4. Weihua Su & Dongcai Zhang & Chonghui Zhang & Dalia Streimikiene, 2020. "Sustainability assessment of energy sector development in China and European Union," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 1063-1076, September.
    5. Behrouz Pirouz & Stefania Anna Palermo & Mario Maiolo & Natale Arcuri & Patrizia Piro, 2020. "Decreasing Water Footprint of Electricity and Heat by Extensive Green Roofs: Case of Southern Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(23), pages 1-16, December.
    6. Chai, Li & Liao, Xiawei & Yang, Liu & Yan, Xianglin, 2018. "Assessing life cycle water use and pollution of coal-fired power generation in China using input-output analysis," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 951-958.
    7. Diego Sesma-Martín, 2020. "Cooling Water: A Source of Conflict in Spain, 1970–1980," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(11), pages 1-18, June.
    8. Somayeh Rezaei Kalvani & Fulvio Celico, 2023. "The Water–Energy–Food Nexus in European Countries: A Review and Future Perspectives," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, March.

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