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Despite a growing need for an increase in sustainable energy, the energy landscape continues to be dominated by cheap fossil fuels, which accounted for This comes on the heels of the Sustainable Energy for All SE4ALL initiative that was launched by the UN in to try meet three objectives by , one of which was to double the share of renewable energy globally. The increased application of renewable energy such as hydropower would simultaneously cut carbon emissions and reduce pollution whilst producing a renewable source of clean energy.
Elsewhere around the world, countries are pledging to meet more and more of their energy needs through renewable energy sources. As one of the most established and ready sources of renewable energy, the expertise and capability surrounding hydropower is easily disseminated.
Given the fact there are still 1. The International Energy Agency IEA , an inter-governmental energy advisory organization, wants to see the output of hydroelectricity doubled globally by Just this year, the global output of hydroelectricity reached 1, GW for the first time ever, and policy support for taking advantage of untapped hydropower capacity continues to grow.
Hydropower may be a highly efficient renewable energy system, but there are also a number of impediments that prevent its continued application. One of the most glaring is the cost. These projects are capital intensive and an expensive luxury many countries in the developing world cannot afford, especially if it requires costly foreign borrowing. Rock extraction, construction and the additional costs of storage and connectivity to grids all create a hefty price tag.
Given the high price tag, the financial rate of return on many projects can actually be negative. Another issue related to hydropower is that oftentimes the dams and reservoirs used to tap the natural current of water diverts resources away from local communities. The social costs of hydroprojects can be enormous if they lead to displacement or endanger the livelihood of locals.
This is an instance of a transnational dispute where international bodies can be utilized to mediate the dispute. However, if this were an internal matter with an autocratic regime pushing through a controversial hydroproject, the victims would be left to suffer the consequences.
Hydropower can also have a negative environmental impact on the surrounding ecosystem, especially on fish migration and other species, such as birds affected by shifting wetlands.
The quality of water can be negatively affected through pollution, and dams and reservoirs can lead to the erosion of river basins, which can subsequently affect the quality of soil needed for local agriculture to flourish.
The government of Chile recently rejected the HidroAysen project , which would have been the largest energy project in its history, over environmental concerns. This is especially troubling given that freshwater resources around the world are drying up due shifting precipitation patterns and increased usage due to population growth.
Drier conditions and potential droughts caused by climate change will reduce the potential for power generation due to lower runoffs and lead to water scarcity. Unfortunately, this will most likely happen in poorer countries that also lack the flexibility, funding or political will to tackle long-term alterations in their water systems.
The work of Byman Hamududu of the Norwegian University of Science and Technology examined the projected changes in hydropower generation through He found that many of the largest depletions would occur in high-risk, tropical countries.
Hydropower must, therefore, be employed as part of a balanced energy portfolio in the face of potential disruptions due to climate change. There may be a number of downsides to hydropower, but the environment points to the simple fact that it is a lesser evil than to allow carbon intensive finite fuels to continue to dominate energy portfolios. The potential damage of global climate change drastically outweighs the local consequences of hydropower.
As governments adopt policies to mitigate climate change, renewable sources of energy like hydropower will be key winners, especially if generous subsidies are extended to jump-start projects.
If projects are extensively investigated before their implementation, many downsides of hydropower can be avoided. Innovations in technology and the wider adaptation of hydropower should make projects in the future more cost friendly. Also, given that fossil fuels are finite, any future increase in the price of oil or natural gas would make renewable energy sources an even more attractive investment for governments and businesses around the world. More efficient turbines that can harness lower water levels can be applied to avoid the pitfalls associated with mega-dams or reduced run-offs.
Fish-friendly dams have also been implemented incrementally to avoid damage to local fisheries. When hydropower developers invest in data-informed restoration and conservation projects with measurable results, governments and other stakeholders can also leverage these efforts to attract additional capital flows into complementary initiatives. Sustainable hydropower projects that are designed and implemented collaboratively with communities and conservation organizations can therefore become catalysts for broader landscape restoration.
Developers, conservation and civil society organizations, communities, governments, and financiers must work hand-in-hand to conserve and restore ecosystems — enabling hydropower that is both sustainable and sustaining.
As the World Hydropower Congress concludes this week, organizers will incorporate additional feedback collected during the virtual summit before releasing a final draft of the declaration. While adaptive measures like landscape-scale restoration are not currently highlighted in the declaration, the collaborative effort to draft a foundational set of guidelines has already demonstrated the strength of the collective will to create a sustainable future for hydropower.
NHA's Pumped Storage Development Council recently released its third iteration of a pumped storage report outlining the technology's past and future. Twitter Channel. Facebook Profile. NHA Login. Policy Drivers. NHA thanks our sponsors:. Powerhouse Article. October 11, Electricity Markets. September 27, Events. Other massive projects also dot the country, including the Xilodu What does the future hold for this gigantic energy source? Climate change Climate change is expected to have a major impact on the development of hydropower energy, as the large bodies of water necessary for the technology are increasingly under threat.
The construction of the Three Gorges dam in China led to the displacement of 1. Projects in Ethiopia, Turkey and Brazil have also been criticised for displacing populations. This has put many off the energy source, arguing the power is not worth the social and ecological price.
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