Call for Papers // Special Issue of "Applied Energy" on Energy-Water-Food Nexus

With continuous population increase and economic growth, challenges on securing sufficient energy, water, and food supplies to meet the demand are also amplifying. The close linkages of the three sectors give rise to the need for tackling the challenges with a nexus approach. Information shared and interpreted jointly between these three sectors is important for better understanding the complicity of the energy-water-food (E-W-F) nexus and taking integrated approaches for their management. Studies and discussions on the issues relating to concept, research framework, technology innovations, and policy implementation of the nexus are needed to facilitate this understanding. In addition, governance and climate change can guide the development of innovations and policies in the energy, water and food sectors, hence, are important aspects in the nexus analysis. Topics of interest of this Special Issue include, but are not limited to the following aspects of the integrated energy systems:

• Trends and tools in nexus

  • Concept of nexus

  • Nexus from the energy perspective

  • Nexus from the water perspective related to energy

  • Nexus from the food perspective related to energy

  • Existing tools and models in analyzing the nexus

  • New approaches and models needed for the analysis

• Nexus framework and governance

  • Land, climate and energy constraints on water and food sectors

  • Governance challenges in the E-W-F nexus

  • Governance in supporting innovations in renewable energies and mitigating climate change impacts

  • Uncertainties in the E-W-F interactions and constraints on clean energy development and investment

  • Investment and finance for energy and water infrastructure

• Future clean energy technologies and systems under water and food constraints

  • Water needs in the energy systems such as power plants, fuel refineries, renewable energy development, and carbon capture & storage, etc.

  • Energy needs for water supply and agriculture: extraction, transportation, and disposal of water, livestock production, fertilizer production, irrigation, food transportation etc.

  • Agriculture and land-use impacts on future energy systems

  • Future urban energy systems with considerations of water and food security

• Implementation and best practices

  • Technology innovations for supporting global secure access to clean energy and water

  • Reductions in water and wastewater utility operational costs through energy efficiency improvements

  • Case studies of innovative technologies and policies in municipalities and industries for energy and water savings

  • Energy and water consumption and balance flows of urban and industrial systems

This Special Issue solicits original work on integrated energy systems (more than one energy systems should be considered in the paper) that must not be under consideration for publication in other venues. Full papers are solicited for reviews. Authors should refer to the Applied Energy author guidelines at http://www.journals.elsevier.com/applied-energy/ for information about content and formatting of submissions. Submission Format and Guideline All submitted papers must be clearly written in excellent English and contain only original work, which has not been published by or is currently under review for any other journal or conference. Papers must not exceed 30 pages (one-column, at least 11pt fonts) including figures, tables, and references. A detailed submission guideline is available as “Guide to Authors” at: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/applied-energy. All manuscripts and any supplementary material should be submitted through Elsevier Editorial System (EES). The authors must select as “SI: Energy-Water-Food Nexus” when they reach the “Article Type” step in the submission process. The EES website is located at: http://ees.elsevier.com/apen/default.asp. All papers will be peer-reviewed by at least two independent reviewers. Requests for additional information should be addressed to the guest editors. Source: Elsevier website