Cumulative biophysical impact of small and large hydropower development in Nu River, China

Support for low‐carbon energy and opposition to new large dams encourages global development of small hydropower facilities. This support is manifested in national and international energy and development policies designed to incentivize growth in the small hydropower sector while curtailing large d...

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Published in:Water resources research 2013-06, Vol.49 (6), p.3104-3118
Main Authors: Kibler, Kelly M., Tullos, Desiree D.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
China
Clean energy
Dam construction
Dams
development
Development policy
Freshwater
Hydroelectric plants
Hydroelectric power
impact assessment
renewable energy
River basins
Rivers
small hydropower
water resources
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creator Kibler, Kelly M.
Tullos, Desiree D.
description Support for low‐carbon energy and opposition to new large dams encourages global development of small hydropower facilities. This support is manifested in national and international energy and development policies designed to incentivize growth in the small hydropower sector while curtailing large dam construction. However, the preference of small to large dams assumes, without justification, that small hydropower dams entail fewer and less severe environmental and social externalities than large hydropower dams. With the objective to evaluate the validity of this assumption, we investigate cumulative biophysical effects of small (
doi_str_mv 10.1002/wrcr.20243
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Res</addtitle><description>Support for low‐carbon energy and opposition to new large dams encourages global development of small hydropower facilities. This support is manifested in national and international energy and development policies designed to incentivize growth in the small hydropower sector while curtailing large dam construction. However, the preference of small to large dams assumes, without justification, that small hydropower dams entail fewer and less severe environmental and social externalities than large hydropower dams. With the objective to evaluate the validity of this assumption, we investigate cumulative biophysical effects of small (&lt;50 MW) and large hydropower dams in China's Nu River basin, and compare effects normalized per megawatt of power produced. Results reveal that biophysical impacts of small hydropower may exceed those of large hydropower, particularly with regard to habitat and hydrologic change. These results indicate that more comprehensive standards for impact assessment and governance of small hydropower projects may be necessary to encourage low‐impact energy development. Key Points Cumulative biophysical effects of small hydropower can exceed those of large. Installed capacity of hydropower facilities may be a poor predictor of impact. 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source Wiley-Blackwell AGU Digital Library
subjects China
Clean energy
Dam construction
Dams
development
Development policy
Freshwater
Hydroelectric plants
Hydroelectric power
impact assessment
renewable energy
River basins
Rivers
small hydropower
water resources
title Cumulative biophysical impact of small and large hydropower development in Nu River, China
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