Water Energy Nexus in Urban Water Source Selection: A Case Study from Qingdao

The study examines the water-energy nexus in Qingdao, finding that while unconventional water sources like seawater desalination are necessary to meet growing demand, they significantly increase energy intensity and carbon emissions compared to local surface water.

• Qingdao's water demand is expected to outpace its resources due to socio-economic development, primarily driven by an increase in urban domestic water use.
• To address water shortages, Qingdao must use unconventional sources, but these vary widely in energy intensity. Energy consumption for available sources ranges from 0.426 to 4 kWh per cubic meter, with seawater desalination being the most energy-intensive—consuming 10 times more energy per unit than local surface water.
• The urban water system in Qingdao faces an inevitable increase in carbon emissions and energy intensity. The study recommends integrating carbon accounting and energy management into planning, reforming water tariffs, and prioritizing water saving measures.

APA

World Resources Institute (n.d.). Water Energy Nexus in Urban Water Source Selection: A Case Study from Qingdao. https://www.wri.org/research/water-energy-nexus-urban-water-source-selection-case-study-qingdao

Chicago

World Resources Institute. Water Energy Nexus in Urban Water Source Selection: A Case Study from Qingdao. n.d. https://www.wri.org/research/water-energy-nexus-urban-water-source-selection-case-study-qingdao.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=World Resources Institute |title=Water Energy Nexus in Urban Water Source Selection: A Case Study from Qingdao |url=https://www.wri.org/research/water-energy-nexus-urban-water-source-selection-case-study-qingdao |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{worldresourcesinstitutendwater, author = {{World Resources Institute}}, title = {{Water Energy Nexus in Urban Water Source Selection: A Case Study from Qingdao}}, institution = {World Resources Institute}, url = {https://www.wri.org/research/water-energy-nexus-urban-water-source-selection-case-study-qingdao}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }