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

This case study examines the water-energy nexus in Qingdao, analyzing how different water source selections—ranging from local surface water to seawater desalination—impact the energy consumption and carbon emissions of the municipal water supply system.

• Qingdao faces a growing gap between water demand and available resources, primarily driven by an increase in urban domestic water use. To address this, the city must utilize unconventional water resources, such as reclaimed water and seawater desalination.
• Water sources available to Qingdao vary significantly in energy intensity, ranging from 0.426 to 4 kWh per cubic meter. The energy consumption increases in the following order: local surface water, Yellow River water diversion, groundwater, NEWater, Yangtze River water diversion, brackish water desalination, and seawater desalination. Seawater desalination is the most energy-intensive option, consuming 10 times more energy per unit of water supply than local surface water.
• Because Qingdao's urban water system faces an inevitable increase in carbon emissions and energy intensity, the city should integrate carbon accounting and energy management into water supply planning. Decision-making for water source allocation should move beyond cost and supply continuity to include energy consumption per unit, carbon emissions, and environmental risks, while also reforming water tariffs and prioritizing water saving.

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} }