Hydro-climatic conditions and thermoelectric electricity generation – Part II: Model application to 17 nuclear power plants in Germany

In highly developed countries electricity generation is one of the largest water users. Water is mainly used in the cooling processes of thermal power plants. In as yet less developed countries, electricity requirements are also increasing in step with increasing production and standard of living. Renewable electricity generation is gaining more attention in both highly and less developed economies. However, many types of renewable electricity generation, e.g. wind or solar, are still unreliable due to their dependence on weather conditions. This is why electricity generation by thermal power plants will remain a substantial component of the overall energy system for the next decades.

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