Exploring synergistic benefits of Water-Food-Energy Nexus through multi-objective reservoir optimization schemes
Journal
Science of the Total Environment
Journal Volume
633
Pages
341-351
Date Issued
2018
Author(s)
Abstract
This study proposed a holistic three-fold scheme that synergistically optimizes the benefits of the Water-Food-Energy (WFE) Nexus by integrating the short/long-term joint operation of a multi-objective reservoir with irrigation ponds in response to urbanization. The three-fold scheme was implemented step by step: (1) optimizing short-term (daily scale) reservoir operation for maximizing hydropower output and final reservoir storage during typhoon seasons; (2) simulating long-term (ten-day scale) water shortage rates in consideration of the availability of irrigation ponds for both agricultural and public sectors during non-typhoon seasons; and (3) promoting the synergistic benefits of the WFE Nexus in a year-round perspective by integrating the short-term optimization and long-term simulation of reservoir operations. The pivotal Shihmen Reservoir and 745 irrigation ponds located in Taoyuan City of Taiwan together with the surrounding urban areas formed the study case. The results indicated that the optimal short-term reservoir operation obtained from the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm II (NSGA-II) could largely increase hydropower output but just slightly affected water supply. The simulation results of the reservoir coupled with irrigation ponds indicated that such joint operation could significantly reduce agricultural and public water shortage rates by 22.2% and 23.7% in average, respectively, as compared to those of reservoir operation excluding irrigation ponds. The results of year-round short/long-term joint operation showed that water shortage rates could be reduced by 10% at most, the food production rate could be increased by up to 47%, and the hydropower benefit could increase up to 9.33 million USD per year, respectively, in a wet year. Consequently, the proposed methodology could be a viable approach to promoting the synergistic benefits of the WFE Nexus, and the results provided unique insights for stakeholders and policymakers to pursue sustainable urban development plans. © 2018
Subjects
Artificial intelligence (AI); Multi-objective optimization; NSGA-II; Synergistic benefits; Water-Food-Energy Nexus
Other Subjects
Economic and social effects; Genetic algorithms; Hurricanes; Hydroelectric power; Irrigation; Lakes; Multiobjective optimization; Ponds; Urban growth; Water supply; Long term simulation; Non dominated sorting genetic algorithm ii (NSGA II); NSGA-II; Reservoir operation; Reservoir optimizations; Shih-Men reservoir; Sustainable urban development; Synergistic benefits; Reservoirs (water); artificial intelligence; food security; genetic algorithm; hydroelectric power; irrigation system; optimization; water management; water supply; Article; controlled study; environmental parameters; environmental policy; hydropower; irrigation (agriculture); multi objective reservoir optimization; pond; priority journal; process optimization; reliability; seasonal variation; simulation; Taiwan; urbanization; Water Food Energy Nexus; water supply; Shihmen Reservoir; Taiwan; Taoyuan [Taiwan]
Type
journal article