I prefer to get the answer for Italy or the average amount of the European Union with a valid reference. Thanks for your contribution in advance.
According to a study by Finland’s LUT University, solar PV consumes between 2% and 15% of the water that coal and nuclear power plants use to produce just 1 MWh of output. This means that a significant amount of water can be saved using solar PV power plants instead of thermal power plants like CHP/CCHP.
It’s important to note that the amount of water saved can vary depending on several factors, including the specific design and operation of the power plants. However, the study suggests that transitioning to renewable energy sources like solar PV could help reduce water consumption from conventional power generation by more than 95%.
In terms of actual numbers, Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) plants, which are a type of thermal electric plant, withdraw between 600 and 650 gallons of water per megawatt-hour of electricity produced. If we compare this with the water consumption of solar PV, we can see a significant difference.
Please note that these are approximate values, and actual savings can vary based on many factors, including the efficiency of the solar panels, location, weather conditions, and more.
Jorge Morales Pedraza Thanks for the information. As you mentioned solar PV consumes 2-15% of water relative to coal/nuclear power plant per MWh. There is a reference for that?
The more important question is how much water is consumed normally in the CHP/CCHP power plant. Actually, I need valid references for comparison.
Thanks again for your response
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