A novel approach to resource management within the water-electricity-climate nexus perspective

Water and energy are critical resources that require effective management to ensure a sustainable future. This study examines the link between water consumption and electricity generation in fossil-fueled power plants under different climate change scenarios, introducing a new tool and method for resource management. Despite its potential as a reliable forecasting tool, the Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System model has not yet been evaluated for predicting water use in power generation. This research applies the model to estimate water consumption based on electricity generation. Operational data from 70 fossil-fueled plants and meteorological parameters were inputs, with water consumption as the output variable. The dataset was split into training (85 %) and testing (15 %) sets, yielding the best model fit. The model achieved a mean absolute percentage error of 4.62 % and a coefficient of determination of 0.9984, demonstrating strong predictive performance. Various climate scenarios were applied to assess their impact on water consumption. The fossil-fueled power plant water consumption and water intensity by 2053 were projected between 213 million m³ and 246 million m³, and 993 m³/GWh and 1146 m³/GWh, respectively, based on climate change scenarios. These findings can guide efforts in Turkey and globally to address the water-energy nexus and promote sustainable resource management. Encouraging water conservation measures and the development of water-efficient technologies is essential for optimizing sectoral efficiency and supporting environmental sustainability. This model's precision and adaptability provide a valuable decision-making tool for policy planners navigating the complexities of water and energy management under climate change.