Assessment of the environmental impacts associated with hydropower

Botelho, Anabela; Ferreira, Paula Varandas; Lima, Fatima; Pinto, Lígia; Sousa, Sara

doi:10.1016/j.rser.2016.11.271

Cited by 124 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…Beyond the substantial financial risk associated with large dams, the environmental consequences of hydroelectric dam development, which include long-term ripple effects on biodiversity and ecosystems, are rarely considered, often underestimated or largely ignored during dam planning [13,102]. Further damming of the Congo River would affect the local environment, regional ecosystem and the global climate [46][47][48].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Repercussion of Large Scale Hydro Dam Deployment: The Case of Congo Grand Inga Hydro Project

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:The idea of damming the Congo River has persisted for decades. The Grand Inga project, of up to 42 GW power generation capacity, can only be justified as part of a regional energy master plan for Africa, to bridge the energy gap on the continent. Proponents of very large dams have often exaggerated potential multiple benefits of a mega dam, marginalise environmental concerns and neglect the true risk of such projects, in particular for the fragile economies of developing countries. Studies have reported the financial risks, cost overruns and schedule spills associated with very large dams. In addition, most of the dams in the region are poorly managed. Therefore, the type and scale of Grand Inga is not the solution for millions of not yet electrified people in Sub-Saharan Africa. In this research, scenarios are defined based on announced costs and expected costs. Cost escalations in the range from 5% to 100% for the Inga project in 2030 and 2040 are considered, as average cost overruns are typically at about 70% or higher for similar mega-dams. It was found that when the cost overrun for the Grand Inga project exceeds 35% and −5% for 2030 and 2040 assumptions, respectively, the project becomes economically non-beneficial. In all scenarios, Sub-Saharan Africa can mainly be powered by solar photovoltaics to cover the electricity demand and complemented by wind energy, supported by batteries. Hydropower and biomass-based electricity can serve as complementary resources. The grid frequency stability of the power system is analysed and discussed in the paper. Benefits of the Inga hydropower project have to be increasingly questioned, in particular due to the fast cost decline of solar photovoltaics and batteries.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Repercussion of Large Scale Hydro Dam Deployment: The Case of Congo Grand Inga Hydro Project

et al. 2018

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…The most important issues to be considered are associated with biodiversity limitation, impacts on fauna and flora, landscape intrusion and water resource. This is due in a large part to direct damage caused by the impact of building dams [35].…”

Section: Final Remarksmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental Performance of Eastern Canadian Wood Pellets as Measured Through Life Cycle Assessment

Padilla‐Rivera

Barrette

Blanchet

et al. 2017

Forests

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Abstract:Global demand for renewable energy has increased drastically over the last decade due to new climate change policies implemented in many jurisdictions. Wood pellets made from primary wood processing mill residues represent an attractive source of renewable energy that can be used in the environmental global challenge. However, the environmental impacts involved in their manufacture must be considered to measure the real benefits they can provide to the atmosphere. The general aim of this study was to evaluate the environmental impacts of wood pellet production at two Quebec plants using the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology and considering a gate-to-gate approach. The paper focuses on the different stages involved in wood pellet production; from the recovery of mill residues, through the pelletization process, to pellet bagging. The paper further expands to a cradle-to-grave analysis comparing the environmental footprints of producing and combusting 1 GJ of energy from wood pellets, natural gas and fossil fuel oil. The analysis suggested that the drying and the pelletizing stages were the largest negative factors affecting the environmental performance of wood pellet production. The comparison demonstrated the environmental advantage of using renewable rather than fossil sources of energy. Considering the growing interest in renewable energy, biomass in particular, and the lack of environmental information on wood pellets, this study could be useful not only for forest sector-related industries but also for the energy sector and policymakers.

show abstract

“…When it comes to renewable energies sources (RES), there are not only environmental benefits, in particular the reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, but also non-negligible negative impacts, which need to be considered [1][2][3]. The same happens with the psychological and social issues: if, on the one hand, hydropower, as a renewable source, benefits from wide acceptance by the general population, the same is not true among local residents whose well-being is clearly affected by the day-to-day operation of hydropower plants in the vicinity of their residences [4][5][6]. To account for economic values of these adverse impacts, economists have included in their toolkit non-market valuation methods which allow researchers and policy makers to value the externalities of projects, in particular to provide a monetary approximation to the so-called non-use values.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…On the one hand, many agents defend the construction of hydropower plants based on the unquestionable benefits they provide for energy and water supply, flood management, irrigation possibilities, promotion of tourism and the many associated employment opportunities (e.g., [8,9]). There are others who consider that these facilities are far from being harmless and that the advantages clearly do not compensate the many adverse impacts on the environment [4,[10][11][12]. In addition to affecting the environment, the day-to-day operation of hydropower plants can be extremely uncomfortable for local populations, generating a clear decrease in the well-being of these populations.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

How Relevant Are Non-Use Values and Perceptions in Economic Valuations? The Case of Hydropower Plants

et al. 2019

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The construction of hydropower plants, particularly of large ones, is far from being a consensual decision: advocates defend their construction based on the unquestionable benefits hydropower provides, while critics argue that these facilities are far from harmless and cause adverse impacts on the environment, being not only against the construction but also demanding the destruction of existing ones. We review a selection of recent empirical studies concerning impacts of hydropower developments, to make a case for the consideration of non-use values in the economic valuation of the environmental and social impacts of hydropower plants, through the use of non-market valuation methodologies. Additionally, we present data from a case study of hydropower economic valuation, where different subgroups of the population with differing degrees of contact and familiarity with hydropower rate their perception of impacts. Respondents with more contact are less penalizing of hydropower than other respondents. We conclude that non-use values are non-negligible and can be valued through stated preference methods, but researchers should take into consideration perceptions and the role of users and non-users. Non-use values should thus not be neglected by policy makers and regulators at the planning and public consultation stages or as part of the decommissioning decision.

show abstract

Assessment of the environmental impacts associated with hydropower

Cited by 124 publications

References 27 publications

Repercussion of Large Scale Hydro Dam Deployment: The Case of Congo Grand Inga Hydro Project

Repercussion of Large Scale Hydro Dam Deployment: The Case of Congo Grand Inga Hydro Project

Environmental Performance of Eastern Canadian Wood Pellets as Measured Through Life Cycle Assessment

How Relevant Are Non-Use Values and Perceptions in Economic Valuations? The Case of Hydropower Plants

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About