A framework for joint management of regional water-energy ... - Orbit

The suggested method relies on mathematical optimization algorithms to determine
the optimal use of water and power resources. Therefore, the size of
the systems that the method can handle depends on the chosen optimization
algorithm. Stochastic dynamic programming was found to be adequate only
for the aggregated representation of the hydrological system. Stochastic dual
dynamic programming, in contrast, was capable of solving models with higher
spatial resolution, and has the potential for solving large scale problems
with many reservoirs.
Despite the simplifications and assumptions made, the suggested method
proved to be adequate for assessing the spatio-temporal interactions of water
and power systems. Furthermore, the method is flexible and can potentially
be used to model other aspects of the water-energy nexus, for instance: the
energy requirements of the transport sector and the impact of biofuels on agriculture;
the impact of reduced river discharge on cooling of thermal power
plants; or the impact of carbon capture and storage on water resources.
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