Fabian Stenzel et al 2019 Freshwater requirements of large-scale bioenergy plantations for limiting global warming to 1.5 °C Environ. Res. Lett. 14 084001 
https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ab2b4b

Hi, my name is Fabian Stenzel and I am a researcher at
the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. 
Me and my co-authors have written a paper entitled: 
“Freshwater requirements of large-scale bioenergy plantations 
for limiting global warming to 1.5°C”, 
where we analyze the irrigation water demand of bioenergy plantations
following a 1.5°C consistent negative emissions trajectory for the 21st century.
Limiting mean global warming to well below 2°C 
will likely require substantial negative emissions within the 21st century.
Negative emissions counterbalance residual emissions during and after 
the transition to a non carbon society by removing CO2 from the atmosphere.
The most widely used negative emission technology in scenarios of the future is BECCS,
bioenergy plantations at large scale with carbon capture and storage.
BECCS utilized fast growing plants like willows or Miscanthus 
to capture ambient CO2, which is subsequently burned for energy generation, 
the CO2 from the exhaust is stored, for example in underground reservoirs.
To make these plantations more productive and to need less plantation area, 
they will probably be irrigated, which will put further pressure 
on already stressed freshwater ecosystems.
We have found that the 1.5°C target is only achievable, if there is
either significant technological advancement in the overall BECCS efficiency, 
or if large amounts of irrigation water are used.
The associated water demand might double current agricultural withdrawals, 
which would increase water stress.
But we also found, that the water demand could be reduced significantly, 
if environmental flow protection is ensured 
and advanced on-field water management is employed.
Nevertheless, the key to reducing the impacts from BECCS, 
is a rapid reduction of our CO2 emissions today.