Integrated carbon emission measurement model for the social water cycle: Taking the Yellow River Basin as an example

LI Jiaxin; ZHU Yongnan; PENG Shaoming; ZHAO Yong; LI Haihong; JIANG Shan

doi:10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2024.22.008

Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology) >

2024 , Vol. 64 >Issue 4: 626 - 637

DOI: https://doi.org/10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2024.22.008

HYDRAULIC ENGINEERING

Integrated carbon emission measurement model for the social water cycle: Taking the Yellow River Basin as an example

LI Jiaxin ,
ZHU Yongnan ,
PENG Shaoming ,
ZHAO Yong ,
LI Haihong ,
JIANG Shan

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1. School of Water Conservancy and Transportation, Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou 450001, China;
2. State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China;
3. China Renewable Energy Engineering Institute, Beijing 100120, China

Received date: 2023-10-08

Online published: 2024-03-27

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Abstract

[Objective] As the global community moves toward carbon peak and carbon neutrality targets, the issue of carbon emissions related to water resources has emerged as a significant area of research. The social water cycle, characterized by intensive energy consumption and carbon emission, plays a pivotal role in this context. Factors such as water-related energy usage and efficiency directly affect the economy and carbon emissions of a society. Consequently, reducing carbon emissions during the social water cycle process has become a vital strategy in curbing greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, it is crucial to accurately assess the energy consumption and carbon emissions throughout the entire social water cycle process and thoroughly understand the spatial distribution and intensity characteristics of energy consumption and carbon emissions at each stage. This study aims to identify key factors for energy saving and emission reduction within the social water cycle. [Methods] Using the life cycle assessment method, we first constructed a life cycle carbon accounting system for the social water cycle system, including four major segments: water withdrawal, supply, use, and drainage. We then established a comprehensive measurement model for social water cycle carbon emissions based on a distributed geographic model. Using the Yellow River Basin as an example, we calculated the energy consumption and carbon emissions of the social water cycle over the entire life cycle of the basin in 2017 and studied their spatial distribution characteristics. This provided a simulation method and scientific basis for establishing a more sustainable, low-carbon social water cycle. [Results] Our findings revealed that in 2017, the downstream area of the Yellow River Basin had the highest amount of carbon emissions per unit area, i.e., approximately 7.4 times higher than that in the upstream area. Among the four major segments, the water use segment had the highest amount of carbon emissions. In particular, residential water use accounted for 59.7% of the carbon emissions from the water use segment and 54.7% of the total carbon emissions from the social water cycle. This identifies it as a key segment for carbon emission reduction within the social water cycle. In terms of carbon emission intensity in each segment of the social water cycle in the Yellow River Basin, the order was: water use > drainage > water supply > water withdrawal. [Conclusions] The Yellow River Basin exhibits significant differences in carbon emissions between its upstream and downstream regions. Moreover, the intensity of carbon emissions varies greatly across different segments of the water cycle. In light of these findings, we propose several strategies for energy conservation and carbon reduction in key areas and segments of the social water cycle. First, water supply and drainage systems should be improved, and the energy efficiency of water supply and sewage treatment should be enhanced. Second, the development and utilization of clean energy sources, such as solar energy and wind energy, should be prioritized. Finally, in the industrial sector, the circulating cooling water system should be optimized, and water recycling systems should be implemented; in the residential sector, the promotion of water-saving and energy-saving appliances is recommended to improve the comprehensive efficiency of water and energy in domestic water use segments.

Key words： social water cycle; life cycle; carbon footprint; Yellow River Basin

Cite this article

LI Jiaxin , ZHU Yongnan , PENG Shaoming , ZHAO Yong , LI Haihong , JIANG Shan . Integrated carbon emission measurement model for the social water cycle: Taking the Yellow River Basin as an example[J]. Journal of Tsinghua University(Science and Technology), 2024 , 64(4) : 626 -637 . DOI: 10.16511/j.cnki.qhdxxb.2024.22.008

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