A new study is warning that current policy could put the UK in danger of being locked into a future in which water availability puts energy security at risk.

The conclusion forms part of a report by academics at Newcastle University which is calling for the creation of an independent body of experts to inform energy policy and safeguard future energy security.

The study says that the UK’s energy industry is fragmented and a ‘system architect’ is needed to inform technical decisions and take a holistic view of the energy system in order to secure the country’s future energy supply.

The recommendation is included in a briefing note on energy policy, being sent today to MPs and other organisations, outlining a number of concerns about the fundamental problems facing the UK’s energy market. These include: energy storage and distribution; energy pricing models; lack of competition; and water use in electricity generation.

Professor Phil Taylor, Director of the Newcastle Institute for Research on Sustainability, said:

“The University is calling on the Government to establish a group of experts that can take a long-term view about what is required and inform technical decisions and energy policy in a more effective manner than the current situation.”

“For instance, debate among policymakers focuses almost exclusively on issues of affordability and emissions reductions, ignoring the vital issue of the energy sector’s use of water. This thinking risks locking the UK into a future in which water availability could put energy security at risk, and power stations could be forced to reduce production or even shut down if there isn’t sufficient water available to keep them safely operational.”

The study says that policymakers and energy providers need to do more to understand how and why customers use and generate energy so they can find ways to reduce demand on the network, especially at peak times. This means funding must be given to projects such as energy storage test beds and inducement trials, with the results used to inform policy decisions.

Decisions on future energy policy must take water into account 

Researchers from Newcastle University’s School of Civil Engineering and Geosciences have evaluated the demands for cooling water from the UK electricity sector.

They analysed the current and likely future levels of water abstraction and consumption for six potential future energy generation pathways, including the four pathways identified in DECC’s 2011 Carbon Plan and two others that provide slightly different generation mixes.

The Government’s CCS Roadmap explicitly encourages the clustering of power plants, but these sites would then contribute towards, and be vulnerable to, localised water shortages. One potential example of this is the River Trent which already supports eight power stations with a number of others approved for construction. However, if CCS equipment is installed water use intensity is likely to double, meaning the river could come under considerable water stress.

The research demonstrates the importance of water to the UK’s energy future, and highlights the need for policymakers to give careful consideration to the direct and indirect impact any energy decisions will have on water systems. Otherwise, during low flows and droughts, the Government may be forced to choose between protecting the environment and maintaining our electricity supply.

The researchers warn that the country’s energy security will be weakened if water becomes a scarce resource, with power stations forced to reduce production or even shut down if there is insufficient water available to keep them safely operational in the future.

This has already happened in other countries where heatwaves and droughts have put pressure on the water supply, and the problem will only be exacerbated as the effects of climate change are felt in the UK.

The research shows that from 2030, the energy security of the UK could be in the balance as the water intensity of energy pathways diverges. Coal and gas plants will be forced to shut down if they do not adopt CCS, yet this will increase their water use intensity.

The study concludes that given the long lifespans of energy infrastructure projects, the long-term availability of water may be threatened if policymakers do not fully consider the impact on the UK’s water systems when considering the country’s future energy policy.