Addressing Energy-Water Challenges

Present day energy and water systems are highly connected, with many complex interdependencies. Water is essential for energy production, industrial processes, agriculture, and everyday human uses. Conversely, energy is required to extract, convey, and deliver water of appropriate quality for diverse uses, and then again to treat waste waters. For example, generating electricity often requires vast amounts of water for cooling in thermal power plants, and large amounts of wastewater requiring energy-consuming treatment are created through fossil fuel and gas production. At the broadest scale, energy production and consumption affects carbon emissions which in turn affects future climate, the frequency and severity of droughts and floods, and ultimately water resources and availability.

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) recognizes the complex interdependencies between energy and water and is working to address this global challenge at the national level. Efforts seek to improve understanding of complex energy-water processes and systems dynamics, identify vulnerabilities and opportunities to strengthen resilience of the integrated system, offer solutions through new and more efficient technologies and systems designs, and engage with various stakeholders to accelerate transformations.

The evolving climate, increasing demands for both water and energy, growing and migrating populations within the U.S., changes in land use and land cover, and generally diminishing resources (e.g., groundwater and snowpack), pose compounding stresses and challenges for the energy-water system. Collectively, these and other factors threaten the resiliency and security of the United States' energy grids and water supply systems.

Climate change has major implications for the interconnected energy-water system. As rising temperatures and more extreme weather increase demand for energy and water use, rainfall in some parts of the globe is decreasing while other areas experience floods. DOE is focused on solutions that benefit both sectors. For example, human and natural system modeling and resource recovery from waste streams. Notably, as the nation transitions toward net-zero and clean energy sources (e.g., solar, wind, bioenergy, hydrogen and hydropower) which includes energy storage (including pumped hydro), there are important implications for water use and ecosystems.

It is with these complex dynamics, tradeoffs, and critical interdependencies in mind that DOE is pursuing an integrated and holistic systems perspective and approach. With the goal of sufficient, safe, secure, and affordable water and energy, investments in research, development, demonstration, and deployment are cornerstones of the DOE effort.

The Department of Energy has a major stake and fundamental role to play in advancing the integrated system solutions that will address the nation’s combined energy-water challenges. DOE and its interagency partners aim to create equitable, efficient, affordable, and climate resilient energy and water systems to ensure America’s energy, water, environmental, and economic security.