Restoring the Resilience of Water-Energy-Food Nexus Based on Desalination through Biomass Management: Case Study West Mani, Greece

Mediterranean regions like West Mani, Greece, face escalating water scarcity exacerbated by climate variability and seasonal tourism peaks, straining the water-energy-food (WEF) nexus. Olive cultivation, central to the region’s economy and culture, generates substantial underutilized biomassresiduesthat increase wildfire risk if left unmanaged. At the same time, water supply increasingly relies on energy-intensive desalination and pumping. This study addresses the gap in integrated, place-based WEF nexus applications by quantifying the potential of local olive biomass (pruning, grasses, and pits) to power desalination and water distribution. Using remote sensing for olive grove mapping, field data validation, village-level water demand modelling (including tourism scenarios), and energy system analysis, we assessed biomass availability and conversion feasibility. Results show that approximately 2,900-3,800 tonnes of recoverable dry biomass per year can generate 2.8-3.6 GWh of electricity annually, sufficient to fully cover the required energy for multi-site desalination (brackish and seawater reverse osmosis) and elevation-specific pumping under high-demand tourism conditions. This novel contribution lies in closing the resource loop through a replicable, community-scale framework that simultaneously achieves energy autonomy for water security, reduces wildfire risk via managed pruning (creating firebreaks), and enables ash reuse as soil amendments, offering a practical model for other tourism-dependent Mediterranean areas seeking resilient, synergistic resource management.