Optimization approaches to design water-energy-food nexus: A litterature review

Climate change and rapid population growth have caused a steady rise in the global demand of water, energy and food. Various review articles have studied this effect through the water-energy-food nexus (WEFN) topic from different aspects, including flow quantification and policy making, among others. Optimization models have also been formulated regarding WEFN management objectives. Nevertheless, to the best of our knowledge, there is no literature review that captures optimization models for WEFN management in a single article. In this study, we provide an analysis of the optimization models elaborated and implemented for WEFN design and management in literature, classifying them according to different properties. This study contributes to characterize and unite into one article the optimization models used for WEFN management, expose major similarities between optimization models implemented in same scales and nexus types, and clarify major gaps in WEFN literature and research challenges for future optimization models.