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The Renewable Energy-Water-Environment Nexus

Fundamentals, Technology, and Policy

1st Edition - August 31, 2023

Editors: Shahryar Jafarinejad, Bryan Beckingham

Paperback ISBN:

9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 1 3 4 3 9 - 5

eBook ISBN:

9 7 8 - 0 - 4 4 3 - 1 3 4 4 0 - 1

The Renewable Energy-Water-Environment Nexus: Fundamentals, Technology, and Policy explores the connections between renewable energy, water, and the environment, along with their… Read more

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The Renewable Energy-Water-Environment Nexus: Fundamentals, Technology, and Policy explores the connections between renewable energy, water, and the environment, along with their integration in the context of awareness, technologies, challenges, opportunities, and solutions. The book introduces different renewable energy technologies, including the importance of their development, use for a sustainable future, and their interrelationships. In-depth chapters then examine specific sub-relationships, focusing on renewable energy and water, renewable energy and the environment, and water and the environment. Available methods and tools for analyzing the renewable energy-water-environment nexus, including life cycle assessment of renewable energy systems are also covered.

The last section of the book highlights key technologies and opportunities in the nexus, considering areas such as innovative cooling systems for thermoelectric plants to reduce or eliminate the use of water for cooling, reduction of water use in biofuels production, sea waves for desalination, grid management, energy storage systems, and hydrogen technologies, examining the integration of renewable energy, water, and environment-related policies, and discussing the application of artificial intelligence and nanotechnology techniques.

Cover image
Title page
Table of Contents
Copyright
List of contributors
About the editors
Preface
1. Renewable energy for a sustainable future
Abstract
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Renewable energy technologies
1.3 Contributions of renewable energies to a sustainable future
1.4 Conclusions and future perspectives
References
2. Life cycle assessment of renewable energy technologies
Abstract
2.1 Introduction
2.2 Life cycle assessment applied to renewable energy technologies
2.3 Water footprint of renewable energy technologies
2.4 Carbon footprint of renewable energy technologies
2.5 Other life cycle analysis-based methodologies
2.6 Sensitivity analysis
2.7 Environmental risk assessment
2.8 Life cycle assessment results analysis in the decision-making process
2.9 Conclusions and future perspectives
Acknowledgments
References
3. Life cycle assessment of bioenergy production from biomass residue
Abstract
3.1 Introduction
3.2 Bioenergy
3.3 Bioenergy production from different biomass
3.4 Life cycle assessment of bioenergy production from biomass
3.5 Conclusions and future perspectives
References
4. Prospects of environmental and technosustainability evaluation of renewable energy technologies
Abstract
4.1 Introduction
4.2 Current status of different renewable energy technologies
4.3 Sustainability assessment
4.4 Conclusions and future perspectives
Acknowledgment
References
5. Introduction to renewable energy–water–environment nexus
Abstract
5.1 Introduction
5.2 Terminology and definitions
5.3 The renewable energy–water–environment nexus
5.4 Conclusions and future perspectives
Acknowledgment
References
6. The renewable energy–water nexus
Abstract
6.1 Introduction
6.2 Water for renewable energy
6.3 Renewable energy for water
6.4 Conclusions and future perspectives
References
7. The renewable energy–environment nexus
Abstract
7.1 Introduction
7.2 The interconnection between renewable energy and the environment
7.3 Literature review
7.4 Existing policies of renewable energy in the world
7.5 Case study
7.6 Conclusions and future perspectives
References
8. The water–environment nexus
Abstract
8.1 Introduction
8.2 Water, the solvent of life
8.3 Sources of water
8.4 The natural water–environment feedback loop
8.5 Anthropogenic effects on water resources
8.6 Human water usage
8.7 Routes of aqueous contamination
8.8 Water pollution effects on human health
8.9 Sustainable water management in adapting to climate change
8.10 Conclusions and future perspectives
References
9. Technology development in the nexus of renewable energy, water, and the environment
Abstract
9.1 Introduction
9.2 Terminology and definitions
9.3 Technologies
9.4 Conclusions and future perspectives
Acknowledgment
References
10. Nanotechnology and the renewable energy–water–environment nexus
Abstract
10.1 Introduction
10.2 Nanotechnology for energy/renewable energy generation
10.3 Nanotechnology for water desalination
10.4 Nanotechnology for contaminated soil remediation and restoration
10.5 Nanotechnology for air quality improvement
10.6 Nanotechnology for renewable energy/energy–water–environment nexus
10.7 Conclusions and future perspectives
Acknowledgments
References
11. The renewable energy–water–environment nexus analysis
Abstract
11.1 Introduction
11.2 Terminology and definitions
11.3 Individual elements of the REWE nexus
11.4 Integral analysis of elements of the REWE nexus
11.5 Social and economic dimensions and holistic approaches
11.6 System scale and location issues
11.7 An integral framework for the REWE nexus analysis
11.8 Conclusions and future perspectives
Acknowledgement
References
12. Artificial intelligence application to the nexus of renewable energy, water, and the environment
Abstract
12.1 Introduction
12.2 Common AI techniques for the REWE nexus
12.3 Literature review on the AI application in the REWE nexus
12.4 Application feasibility of AI for city-level REWE nexus
12.5 Challenges and barriers for AI application to the REWE nexus
12.6 Conclusions and future perspectives
References
13. Policies related to renewable energy–water–environment nexus
Abstract
13.1 Introduction
13.2 Role of governments, private investors, and other stakeholders in policy cocreation
13.3 Developments in the cocreation of policies
13.4 Conclusions and future perspectives
13.5 Appendix
References
Index

Shahryar Jafarinejad

Dr. Shahryar Jafarinejad is an assistant professor of chemical engineering at Tuskegee University (TU), United States. In addition, he serves as a faculty senate member (2019present) at TU. Before joining TU in 2018, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher (in Prof. Sunny Jiang’s research group) at the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Irvine. He has taught chemical engineering courses at TU, University of Tehran, College of Environment, and Technical and Vocational University (Iran) and supervised undergraduate and graduate students. He has published two books, several book chapters, and numerous peer-reviewed journal and conference papers and has also served as an editorial board member and reviewer of engineering journals. His research group focuses on green technologies and sustainable materials, energy and environment, and applying nanotechnology and modeling and simulation tools to solve problems in chemical and environmental engineering. He has received funds from DoD, ORAU, UNCF, the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, Genentech, etc. In addition, he received the Henry C. McBay Faculty Research Fellowship from UNCF in 2020 and the Outstanding Faculty Performance Award for Research and Teaching/Learning at TU in 2020 and 2022, respectively.

Affiliations and expertise

Chemical Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Tuskegee University, USA

Bryan Beckingham

Dr. Bryan S. Beckingham is an associate professor of chemical engineering at Auburn University (AU), United States, and director of the Auburn University’s Center for Polymers and Advanced Composites. At Auburn University, he is also serving as the faculty senate (2017present) and as a member of the Chemical Engineering Graduate Program Committee, among other roles. Before joining Auburn University in 2016, he received his BS in chemical engineering from Clarkson University in 2007, his PhD in chemical and materials engineering from Princeton University in 2013, and was a materials postdoctoral fellow at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory as a member of the Material Science Division and the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis from 2013 to 2015. He is a recipient of a US Department of Energy Early Career Award and is among the Industrial Engineering and Chemistry Research’s 2021 Class of Influential Researchers—The Americas. His research group focuses on leveraging synthetic polymer chemistry and materials characterization to inform the design of novel polymer materials for target applications, with particular emphasis on polymer membranes for fuel cells and solar fuels devices, hierarchically structured matter for applications in energy and water, and additive manufacturing polymer functional polymer systems. He is also active in engineering education as a past invited participant of the National Academy of Engineering: Frontiers of Engineering Education Symposium and as the chair of the Chemical Engineering Division of the ASEE Southeast Region.

Affiliations and expertise

Chemical Engineering Department, Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, Auburn University, USA