An Overview of Hydropower Reservoirs in Brazil: Current Situation, Future Perspectives and Impacts of Climate Change

Global climate change, related to the greenhouse gases emission, impacts hydroelectric power generation mainly due to the increase in air temperature and changes in the precipitation patterns. As a consequence, it affects basin evapotranspiration process, runoff, sediment transport as well as evapor...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Water (Basel) 2018-05, Vol.10 (5), p.592
Main Authors: de Souza Dias, Viviane, Pereira da Luz, Marta, Medero, Gabriela, Tarley Ferreira Nascimento, Diego
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adaptation
Agricultural development
Air pollution
Air temperature
Alternative energy sources
Aquatic resources
Brazil
Climate change
Dry season
Electric power production
Electricity
Energy resources
Environmental assessment
Environmental degradation
Evaporation
Evapotranspiration
Global temperature changes
Greenhouse effect
Greenhouse gases
Hydroelectric dams
Hydroelectric plants
Hydroelectric power
Hydroelectric power generation
Hydroelectric power plants
Hydrology
Land use
Mitigation
Precipitation
Rainfall
Renewable resources
Reservoirs
Rivers
Runoff
Sediment transport
Sediments
Soil degradation
Strategic planning
Systems engineering
Water availability
Water demand
Water resources
Water-power
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Summary:Global climate change, related to the greenhouse gases emission, impacts hydroelectric power generation mainly due to the increase in air temperature and changes in the precipitation patterns. As a consequence, it affects basin evapotranspiration process, runoff, sediment transport as well as evaporation of reservoirs. This study analysed the current and future Brazilian context of hydroelectric reservoirs and investigated the potential impacts of climate change on hydropower generation and possible mitigation adjustments, giving relevant examples from around the world. Moreover, it is key to consider other factors that influence the availability of water resources such as: (a) upstream development of reservoirs, mainly the development of agricultural systems, which can contribute to increased water demand; (b) changes in land use, which can have an impact on soil degradation and sediment transport. Hydroelectric dams are a possible alternative to mitigate the impacts of climate change considering that those impacts could generate the need of adaptive actions. The assessment of climate change impacts’ projections anticipates possible future scenarios and can assist in strategic planning together with the definition of adaptive operational policies.
ISSN:2073-4441
2073-4441
DOI:10.3390/w10050592