Electricity generation in the United States entails significant water usage and greenhouse gas emissions. However, accurately estimating these impacts is complex due to the intricate nature of the electric grid and the dynamic electricity mix. Existing methods to estimate the environmental consequences of electricity use often generalize across large regions, neglecting spatial and temporal variations in water usage and emissions. Consequently, electric grid dynamics, such as temporal fluctuations in renewable energy resources, are often overlooked in efforts to mitigate environmental impacts. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has initiated the development of resilient energyshed management systems, requiring detailed information on the local electricity mix and its environmental impacts. This study supports DOE's goal by incorporating geographic and temporal variations in electricity mix of local electric grid to better understand the end user environmental impacts. We offer hourly estimates of the US electricity mix, detailing fuel types, water withdrawal intensity, and water consumption intensity for each grid balancing authority. While our primary focus is on evaluating water intensity factors, our dataset and programming scripts for historical and real-time analysis also include evaluations of carbon dioxide (equivalence) intensity within the same modeling framework. This integrated approach offers a comprehensive understanding of the environmental footprint associated with electricity generation and use, enabling informed decision-making to effectively reduce Scope 2 water usage and emissions.

The attached dataset provides static data from 2018 to 2022, as detailed in the publication: Siddik, M. A. B., Shehabi, A., Rao, P., & Marston, L. T. (2024). Spatially and Temporally Detailed Water and Carbon Footprints of U.S. Electricity Generation and Use. Water Resources Research, 60(12), e2024WR038350.

For continuous updates and the latest version of the data product, please visit the following link: https://industrialapplications.lbl.gov/water-impact-tool