The Water–Energy Nexus in 26 European Countries: A Review from a Hydrogeological Perspective
The Water–Energy Nexus in 26 European Countries: A Review from a Hydrogeological Perspective
Somayeh Rezaei Kalvani * , Riccardo Pinardi and Fulvio Celico
Department of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parco Area Delle
Scienze 157/A, 43124 Parma, Italy; riccardo.pinardi@unipr.it (R.P.); fulvio.celico@unipr.it (F.C.)
* Correspondence: somayeh.rezaeikalvani@unipr.it
Abstract:
The significance of the interconnection between water and energy, known as the water–
energy (WE) nexus, is highly regarded in scientific publications. This study used a narrative review
method to analyze the existing WE nexus studies performed before 2024 in 26 European countries.
The aim of this study is to provide a comprehensive analysis of the existing WE nexus to identify
research gaps and to report a conceptual overview of energy consumption related to groundwater
use phases, ranging from the tapping to distribution. This information is valuable as a guideline for
any future estimates in this field. The results indicate that the WE nexus in 26 European countries
comprises a variety of topics, including the water supply system, wastewater treatment, hydropower,
desalination, and biofuel production. Most of the focus has been on fossil fuel production, while
water supply and desalination were considered rarely. Italy and Portugal had the largest WE nexus. It
is highlighted that there have been no studies on the WE nexus focusing on the groundwater supply
system that consider the conceptual hydrological model or hydrodynamic processes. In this work, a
view of these aspects was provided by taking into account different hydrogeological and hydraulic
scenarios that may affect the amount of energy required for groundwater exploitation. Most scientific
publications have focused on quantitative analysis. In the future, it will be necessary for WE nexus
models to place a greater emphasis on governance and the implications of the WE nexus approach.
Keywords: biofuel; water–energy security nexus; energy intensity; groundwater supply
to read the full article please click on
Share Your Comments
Only members can comment, Click here to sign up for free right now