Applying the open-source climate, land, energy, and water systems (CLEWs) model to Canada

In this paper the Climate, Land, Energy, and Water system (CLEWs) interactions of biofuels production are addressed. We utilize an open-source modelling framework to assess direct and indirect impacts of biofuels on long-term electricity generation, land, and water use. We analyse a switchgrass biofuels pathway and find that while the land use implications are substantial, increasing by 646,190 km 2 in agricultural land area, the impacts on water systems, which increases by approximately 222 billion m 3 compared to the baseline, may be even more limiting for the Canadian context. While switchgrass biofuels can contribute low-carbon dispatchable electricity, the land and water use impacts suggest that any biofuels should be used for hard to decarbonize sectors prior to using them for electricity. •We develop a CLEWs model of Canada using OSeMOSYS and analyze switchgrass biofuels and decarbonization pathways.•A capacity expansion approach with energy, land, and water interactions has not previously been applied to Canada as a whole.•While switchgrass biofuels contribute low carbon dispatchable electricity, there are significant impacts on land and water.