Type
PhD research
Duration
2016-2020
Persons involved:
Holmatov (PhD candidate)
Hoekstra (Promoter)
Krol (Daily supervisor)
Funding
The project is funded for 4 years under EU-MAGIC.
Summary of the research
Water, land, carbon and energy are closely connected by links that are widely recognized but sparsely studied and not sufficiently quantified. Many studies focus on quantifying the carbon footprint of different energy sources than focus on quantifying their land and water footprints. However, land and water footprints of renewable energy sources are becoming key determinants of their long-term sustainability and acceptability. That is because the renewable energy sources are land and water intensive compared to fossil fuels. This research aims to quantify environmental footprints (i.e. water-land-carbon) of various energy sources, explain their environmental trade-offs, outline constructive energy combinations, and determine potential energy trade route changes.
Keywords
Water-energy-food nexus; environmental footprints; water footprint; virtual water; sustainability