Researchers from the IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment Program found that agricultural efforts in downstream countries in Central Asia, traditionally hampered by a lack of water for irrigation during the summer growing season, would be significantly boosted with a “dual water and energy storage scheme”, which also paves the way for high shares of renewable energy generation in the region.
Researchers from the IIASA Energy, Climate, and Environment Program found that agricultural efforts in downstream countries in Central Asia, traditionally hampered by a lack of water for irrigation during the summer growing season, would be significantly boosted with a “dual water and energy storage scheme”, which also paves the way for high shares of renewable energy generation in the region.
Behnam Zakeri, the lead author of the open-access paper published in the Journal of Energy Storage, explains the historical precedent to the current situation:
"The five countries we looked at in Central Asia were once part of the Soviet Union. When their infrastructure was developed during this period, there was no consideration that they would one day be five separate and independent countries. The separation has led to a mismatch between their interests and their available resources."
Zakeri further explains that the upstream countries of Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan have control of more than 80% of freshwater resources of Central Asia. If they only used that water for their own needs, the water would mainly go to generating electricity in hydropower dams in winter, when the electricity demand is high. This water would flow down during cold seasons, when downstream countries don't need as much water, but leave them dry in summer when their peak agricultural season requires water for irrigation.
Read more at: International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis
Schematic of the proposed “dual water and energy storage scheme” that can resolve the mismatch between water availability for electricity generation and irrigation. The size of the arrows indicates the amount of water flow in each season. Red arrows show the discharge of water from dams. HPP: hydropower plant; SPHS: seasonal pumped hydro storage. (Photo Credit: Zakeri et al. (2022))
