Optimization of water-energy-food nexus : an application in the Ping River Basin, Thailand | |
| Author | Shrestha, Raunak |
| Call Number | AIT Thesis no.WM-24-11 |
| Subject(s) | Environmental management--Thailand--Ping River Basin Sustainable development--Thailand--Ping River Basin Water resources development--Environmental aspects |
| Note | A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Engineering in Water Engineering and Management, School of Engineering and Technology |
| Publisher | Asian Institute of Technology |
| Series Statement | Thesis; no. WM-24-11 |
| Abstract | Water, energy, and food are interconnected resources that need to be considered simultaneously and comprehensively. The Water-Energy-Food Nexus is an emerging framework to transparently study the interlinkages between water, food, and energy. The following research utilizes operations research and systems science to develop mathematical approach to optimize water, food, and energy resource allocations. A generic mathematical formulation was developed that representthe two-way interaction between water, energy and food systems which was adapted for application in Ping River Basin, Thailand. Within optimization, the model focused on ensuring greater water-energy-food system efficiency by supporting the WEF nexus system to produce more water, energy, and food output than consuming water, food, and energy within the system boundaries. When the model was adapted and applied in the Ping River Basin, Thailand, it resulted in a 9% improvement in the objective function value compared to the actual situation in 2012. The developed model could be adapted based on context and prominent characteristics of the location, including resolution of analysis, to inform decision making processes regarding resource allocation and resource balance between resource output and resource used by the nexus system. In the case of Ping River Basin, using the model with fixed targets for resource outputs or pre-determined resource allocations caused a reduction in the objective function value while improving energy efficiency was found to be synergistic and improved the objective function value by expanding the feasible region of solutions. The model can be designed based on decision makers requirements such as constraining specific resources by setting output targets, setting resource reallocation targets, or resource efficiency targets to evaluate the cross sectoral to water, energy and food systems as well as conduct an overall evaluation of water, food, energy system balance to inform decision making and resource planning processes. |
| Year | 2024 |
| Corresponding Series Added Entry | Asian Institute of Technology. Thesis; no. WM-24-11 |
| Type | Thesis |
| School | School of Engineering and Technology |
| Department | Department of Civil and Infrastucture Engineering (DCIE) |
| Academic Program/FoS | Water Engineering and Management (WM) |
| Chairperson(s) | Babel, Mukand S.; |
| Examination Committee(s) | Ho, Huu Loc;Hyuynh, Trung Luong;Shanmugam, Mohana Sundaram; |
| Scholarship Donor(s) | AIT Scholarships; |
| Degree | Thesis (M. Eng.) - Asian Institute of Technology, 2024 |