Effects of Climate Change On Coastal Population Migration and Changes in Regional Energy Demand

Managing the risks posed by climate change to energy production and delivery is a challenge to communities worldwide.  Sea level rise and increased frequency and intensity of deadly storms due to sea surface temperature rise force industry and populations to move to locations less vulnerable to these natural hazards, resulting in changes in demand regimes.  Quantity and proximity of available supply to meet this changing demand must be considered in electrical grid planning, especially as coastal fuel sources and energy production facilities become less viable in favor of sources and facilities farther inland.   Combining climate predictions and Geographical Information Science, we examine the potential for gradual regional population convergence from coastal areas to various inland municipal hubs in response to environmental conditions in a greater Mumbai, India test case, and evaluate the implications for changes in future regional electricity demand, potential vulnerabilities in the existing grid, and wider application of the study to worldwide coastal communities.