60
2.6.3.4 Emergence
The purpose of studying an integrated system of systems is to identify patterns and
find solutions to severe problems that “emerge” from understanding the complex
interactions between the parts of the subsystems.
2.6.4 System of Systems and Models
Given this evolution of individual food, energy, and water systems towards an integrated analysis via a system-of-systems approach, one emerging area of challenge
is modeling tools to go along with this approach. Modeling of food, energy, and
water systems is the subject of ample literature, including textbooks. However,
when modeling these systems individually, typically the other two are assumed to
be unchanged or unimpacted. This simplifies the analysis and enables solutions to
problems in each of these systems to be found, and to some extent, these solutions
may work, at least under some constrained conditions that satisfy this assumption.
But in a more general sense, and particularly when these systems are intensely
stressed (e.g., by human activity such as urbanization, and expansion of services in
food, energy, and water sectors), it is intuitively easy to understand that these systems will interact and be dependent upon each other (nexus). This interacting coupling is illustrated in Fig. 2.5. We explore this system of systems approach in more
detail from a modeling perspective in Chap. 15.
Water
Energy
Food
Nexus
Water for energy generation
• Hydropower, biofuels, cooling
Energy used to transport/process water
• Groundwater pumping, desalination,
wastewater treatment
Energy for food production
• Crop cultivation, harvesting,
transportation
Energy produced from food
products or byproducts
• Corn ethanol, other biofuels
• Electricity from methane digesters
Water for food production
• Irrigation of crops/livestock
Water quality degradation from food
production
• Hypoxia
Food production in fresh or saltwater
systems
• Aquaculture
Fig. 2.5 Examples of modeling interactions and feedbacks among the FEWS nexus. (Source:
Fernando R. Miralles-Wilhelm)
P. Saundry and B. L. Ruddell
2.6.3.4 Emergence
The purpose of studying an integrated system of systems is to identify patterns and
find solutions to severe problems that “emerge” from understanding the complex
interactions between the parts of the subsystems.
2.6.4 System of Systems and Models
Given this evolution of individual food, energy, and water systems towards an integrated analysis via a system-of-systems approach, one emerging area of challenge
is modeling tools to go along with this approach. Modeling of food, energy, and
water systems is the subject of ample literature, including textbooks. However,
when modeling these systems individually, typically the other two are assumed to
be unchanged or unimpacted. This simplifies the analysis and enables solutions to
problems in each of these systems to be found, and to some extent, these solutions
may work, at least under some constrained conditions that satisfy this assumption.
But in a more general sense, and particularly when these systems are intensely
stressed (e.g., by human activity such as urbanization, and expansion of services in
food, energy, and water sectors), it is intuitively easy to understand that these systems will interact and be dependent upon each other (nexus). This interacting coupling is illustrated in Fig. 2.5. We explore this system of systems approach in more
detail from a modeling perspective in Chap. 15.
Water
Energy
Food
Nexus
Water for energy generation
• Hydropower, biofuels, cooling
Energy used to transport/process water
• Groundwater pumping, desalination,
wastewater treatment
Energy for food production
• Crop cultivation, harvesting,
transportation
Energy produced from food
products or byproducts
• Corn ethanol, other biofuels
• Electricity from methane digesters
Water for food production
• Irrigation of crops/livestock
Water quality degradation from food
production
• Hypoxia
Food production in fresh or saltwater
systems
• Aquaculture
Fig. 2.5 Examples of modeling interactions and feedbacks among the FEWS nexus. (Source:
Fernando R. Miralles-Wilhelm)
P. Saundry and B. L. Ruddell