This policy brief, based on research conducted as part of a partnership between the business leaders" initiative 3C (Combat Climate Change) and the Stockholm Environment Institute, examines the potential impact of low-carbon electricity generation technologies on water resources - and how these water inputs might shape renewable choices. A scenario authors called Renewable energy portfolio standard (RPS)+Technology, using more photovoltaics and less solar thermal power, and in-crementally switching once-through to wet-recirculating and dry-cooling systems, reduced both water withdrawals and consumption. Some of the adjustments would reduce energy-efficiency, and thus increase emissions, but our scenario shows this could be offset by intro-ducing carbon capture and sequestration (CCS) in a portion of natural-gas plants.