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Water and electricity are fundamentally linked. At a basic level electricity generation requires water, and water treatment and transportation use electricity. Historically, there has been little reason to understand the nature of these links, due largely to the presumption that water was not a threat to energy security, nor electricity a threat to water security. This presumption is now being challenged. Industry reforms, increasing demand, and more recently climate change – are bringing into sharp focus the links between water and electricity in unprecedented ways. General awareness of the links between water and electricity is increasing daily, as the ramifications of the links are being felt the world over: Society's ability to deal with the challenges and uncertainties arising from the links between water and electricity is being hindered by limited understanding of the nature of the links, and seeming lack of policy tools to effectively analyze them. This paper reviews comprehensively the links between water and electricity. Presents a classification system for identifying links. Using the classification system, this study further discusses these links by drawing upon examples from literature and follows with a synopsis of the nature of these links. With this background, the paper reviews and compares water-energy studies in terms of scope, objectives, methodologies and key findings, discusses major limitations of these studies and identifies important areas that would benefit from more in-depth research. This research contends that this type of approach is unsuitable in the longer term, particularly when examining complex and multidimensional issues like the water-energy nexus. This work suggests that the nature of the nexus should and can be explored from a wider perspective, by developing a suitable integrated methodological framework to serve as a platform for such exploration. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to outline the development of such a framework. Introduces Integral Theory and discusses how Integral Theory has shaped the development of the methodological framework employed in this research. Presents the framework and describes the suite of methods.

A new optimization method of the investment cost of a distribution grid supplied by photovoltaic (PV) sources. This method consists of determining the optimal grid cables cross sections and the optimal grid supply point (GSP) position, such that the sum of the joule losses and the cables investment costs are optimized. The determination of these parameters are performed by the programming of analytical equations using Matlab software, taking into account the influence of technical and economical requirements on the choice of the cables cross sections and the possibility of using several photovoltaic generators (PVG) with separated grids for spaced loads from a long distance, by optimizing the grouping loads combination. The obtained results show that: for a lowest global investment cost, the optimal GSP is referred to the minimum cost center (MCC), for the grid joule losses minimization, it can be in the minimum joule losses cost center (MJLCC); or in the center of the minimum investment cost of cables (CMICC) in the case of the cables investment cost minimization. The adoption of the optimal cross sections, the optimal PVGs (GSPs) number and their optimal positions achieve significant economic gains in terms of the investment cost.

The water sector in Algeria has to date paid scant attention to the issue of climate change and is often unaware of its impact on future water resources. Studies will be needed to assess the impact and cost of climate change and draw up adaptation solutions. Forecasts are not optimistic. Models for climate change indicate that rainfall could decrease by more than 20% by 2050, which would result in even greater worsening water shortages in different basins of Algeria. The construction of 70 dams planned will provide only small additional volumes. The particular challenge for Algeria in the coming decades will be to adapt to a decrease in renewable water resources. The country will have to carefully manage these resources. Mobilization of non-conventional water resources (desalination and wastewater reuse) will be a strategic component of future water policy. The development of unconventional resources and the management of water demand will increase more the energy consumption of the water sector. This consumption would reach nearly 12% of the country׳s consumption and must be integrated dice now in the country׳s energy forecasts. More coordinated planning and action will consequently be required between the water and energy sectors if further aggravation of the water deficit is to be avoided. Moreover, the revolution in renewable energy (wind and solar power) in terms of technological development and costs may help reduce the consumption of fossil fuels and ensure reserves for future generations by fostering decentralized renewable energy projects for alimentation of pumping stations. Algeria has thus set itself by 2030 a share of renewable energy in the national energy balance of between 30% and 40%. The share of renewable power by 2023 will represent about 17% of installed capacity (5539 MW) compared to 4.74% in 2011 (540 MW).

This paper shows a new method for optimization of the general investment cost in a distribution network supplied by solar photovoltaic (PV) source. This method consists of first, determining, the optimal cross sections for electrical cables used between solar generator and loads and second, find the optimal placement of loads distribution center such that the cost sum of installation and exploitation, of the investment, are considerably reduced to its optimal value. Particular method has been presented in previous study, where the optimization of the solar generator placement, is based on network having identical cables cross sections. However, our work was performed on the general case in view of the influence of technical and economical cable cross sections, operating hours or time periods of loads and the possibility to use more than one solar generator with several separated networks. The supply point that corresponds to the lowest general investment cost is referred as the Optimal Loads Distribution Centre “OLDC” which can also be referred to the Optimal Volume Center “OVC” if the exploitation details are not known. The OLDC method was applied on several examples, one of the most general and difficult case is presented in this article. The results of the analysis are found satisfactory since the adoption of the optimal number of loads distribution centers in their optimal places, taking into account the operating hours of loads with time periods, helped reducing drastically the general cost of the investment.

In this contribution a particular attention is being given to the strategic objective for the establishment of a North Africa (NA) countries cooperation on water and clean energy superhighway as the solution to regional energy challenges, water shortages, climate change and other environmental problems arising from the current fossil-fuel heavy global energy paradigm. Advanced and technical know-how and resources of Japan, through the Sahara Solar Breeder (SSB) project, can facilitate to achieve sustainable development in the region, cooperation to accelerate and expand its research activity with ambitious quantitative targets for solutions between the growing water crisis in NA and energy resources (fossil and renewables energies (RE)). With global energy demand set to rise significantly over the next 15 years, there will be a pressing need for fresh investment in new output capacity across the entire water/energy supply chain. It is still believed and emphasized that Photovoltaic (PV) will be a significant contributor within a portfolio of energy sources in the coming 10–20 years and that SSB is providing science and technology that are poised to play a transformative role in providing clean and sustainable water/energy for the whole world. Japan's energy/water innovative strategy for NA is encouraging since problems cannot be solved by one country alone hence local, regional and global cooperation is crucial.

The quality of life and safeness of the present and future generations are strongly intertwined with the availability of energy sources and the sustainability of the energy infrastructure. Energy consumption in developed countries grows at a rate of approximately 1% per year, and that of developing countries, 5% per year (Muneer et al., 2005 [1] ). Present reserves of oil and natural gas can only cover consumption at this rate for the next 50 years in the case of oil, and for the next 70 years in the case of natural gas. Therefore, one of the fundamental priorities for a country such as Algeria is to use several renewable energies (RE) sources and environmentally friendly energy conversion technologies. Algeria is endowed with large reserves of energy sources, mainly hydrocarbons and a considerable potential for the utilisation of RE sources especially with respect to solar energy. Algeria has the potential to be one of the major contributors in solar energy and become a role model to other countries in the world. RE are now one of the major elements of Algeria's energy policy and in view of boosting the national effort in terms of RE beyond 2011, Algeria has developed a national programme for the period 2011–2030 to promote concrete actions in the fields of energy efficiency and RE in line with the approach adopted by the government on February 3, 2011. Besides, it confirms Algerian's ambition to become an international hub for industrial and energy production and exportation in the solar sector. With this in mind, along with the environmental responsibility issues, public awareness gradually increased over the last seven years and alternative energy resources have become a new area of interest. As a tangible target, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) strategic plan aims to reach a 40% share of RE (mainly solar) in electric energy production by 2030. The various future projects are all factors that will undoubtedly give Algeria an important role in the implementation of RE technology in North Africa, the capacity for providing sustainable supply of cost-effective electricity from RE sources for the needs of the population, and the possibility of even exporting 10,000 MW to neighbouring and European market. This paper provides a detailed analysis of the existing renewable energy sector and a forecast for demand growth, additional capacity, investment requirements and Algeria's ambitious objectives of use of RE and environment protection. The paper also discusses the current energy scenario and explores the alternative energy like solar and wind to ensure energy security supply, reliability, greater efficiency in energy conversion, transmission and utilisation. Particular attention is paid to Algeria's global and sustainable solutions of the environmental challenges and the problems of conservation of fossil energy resources under the clean development mechanism (CDM) structure. The report also provides a detailed analysis of the existing renewable energy sector and a forecast for demand growth, additional capacity, and investment requirements