Exploring synergies and tradeoffs: Energy, water, and economic implications of water reuse in rice-based irrigation systems

Whilst water reuse contributes significantly to water productivity across the five spatial scales, it does increase energy use due to pumping. Our holistic analysis indicated a tradeoff between yield and energy use. Achieving higher water productivity would require additional use of fossil energy, which in turn could increase the energy use competition and decrease economic returns. Given the increasing global concerns about climate change and sustainable energy use, an optimal combination of water and energy use is absolutely essential.