Search Results (47)

Hydropower is the main source of renewable energy and the most feasible for implementation in remote areas without access to conventional energy grids. Therefore, knowledge of actual, potential, and future perspectives of sustainable hydropower projects is decisive for their viability. This study aims to estimate the present and future potential capacity of Peru’s hydropower system and from the potential small hydroelectric plants, specifically Run-of-River class. First, we employed geospatial databases and hydroclimatological products to describe the current hydropower system and potential sites for Run-of-River projects. The findings identified 11,965 potential sites for Run-of-River plants. Second, we executed and validated a hydrological model to estimate historical daily streamflows (1981–2020) and hydropower parameters for actual and potential sites. It was determined there is an installed capacity of 5.2 GW in the current hydropower system and a total potential capacity of 29.1 GW for Run-of-River plants, mainly distributed in the northern and central Andes. Finally, we evaluated future changes driven by ten global climate models under three emission scenarios (SSP1-2.6, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5), compared with the baseline period of 1981–2010 with two future time slices. The main results about capacity indicated that operational hydroelectric plants (Run-of-River plants) are projected to decrease by 0.5 to −5.4% (−7.2 to −2.2%) during 2036–2065 and by −9.2 to 3.8% (1.8 to −11.9%) during 2071–2100. These outcomes provide relevant information to support policymakers in addressing sustainable development gaps in the coming decades and stakeholders involved in the implementation and mitigation of climate change impacts on hydropower projects in Peru. Full article

Sustainable water management requires integrated approaches balancing competing demands and environmental sustainability. This study introduces the Sustainable Water Optimization Tool (SUWO), an open-source, Python-based simulation-optimization framework for basin-scale surface-water-resources management. SUWO employs the water–energy–food–ecosystem (WEF-E) nexus approach, utilizing a multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA) to generate Pareto-optimal solutions and facilitate a trade-off analysis among water uses through simulations of reservoir operations, hydro-energy production, irrigation, and flow regulation. SUWO integrates scenario analysis with multi-criteria decision making (MCDM), enabling the evaluation of various management, climate, and environmental scenarios. The framework was applied to the Sakarya River Basin (SRB) in Türkiye, a rapidly developing region pressured by water infrastructure development, hydroelectric power plants (HEPPs), and irrigation expansion. The SUWO-SRB model showed that while Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) generally exhibited superior performance, NSGA-III presented a competitive alternative. The optimization results were analyzed across four management scenarios under varying hydrological conditions and environmental management classes (EMCs) for the near future. The model results highlight WEF-E nexus trade-offs. Maximizing energy production often impacts irrigation and the ecosystem, while prioritizing sustainable irrigation can reduce energy output. Dry conditions reduce hydropower and irrigation capacity, emphasizing water scarcity vulnerabilities. Ecological deviation negatively correlates with anthropogenic factors. Full article

Bhutan is a developmental success story that since the 1960s has consistently used five-year national development plans to make substantial socio-economic progress and promote sustainability. Many other developing countries had abandoned medium-term national planning by the 1980s, but Bhutan continued using these instruments as the principal mechanisms for developing the country and making substantial welfare gains for its population while attending to the sustainability of its development path and environment. Poverty has been greatly reduced, incomes have grown in real terms, life expectancy has markedly increased, there has been enormous growth in the provision of education and the country has become a world leader in environmental protection with 71% of Bhutan still under forest, making it the first carbon negative country in the world. The reasons for Bhutan’s success include always working within the capabilities of government, economy, and society; a demonstrated capacity to reorient development strategies with new plans; a stable political environment; good governance; the gradual inclusion of multiple stakeholders into the development process; a strong supportive relationship with neighbouring India; and the wise use of income from hydropower to fund development. Though there have been disruptions, mistakes, and failures in planning in Bhutan, the general trajectory of solid progress and continued attention to sustainability has been maintained; however, there are considerable challenges ahead for the ambitious Thirteenth Five-Year Plan (2024–2029). To investigate the Bhutanese experience, this article adopts a qualitative case study approach. Full article

Hydropower is a vital strategic component of China’s clean energy development. Its construction and optimized water resource allocation are crucial for addressing global energy challenges, promoting socio-economic development, and achieving sustainable development. However, the optimization scheduling of cascade hydropower stations is a large-scale, multi-constrained, and nonlinear problem. Traditional optimization methods suffer from low computational efficiency, while conventional intelligent algorithms still face issues like premature convergence and local optima, which severely hinder the full utilization of water resources. This study proposed an improved whale optimization algorithm, the Black-winged Differential-variant Whale Optimization Algorithm (BDWOA), which enhanced population diversity through a Logistic-Sine-Cosine combination chaotic map, improved algorithm flexibility with an adaptive adjustment strategy, and introduced the migration mechanism of the black-winged kite algorithm along with a differential mutation strategy to enhance the global search ability and convergence capacity. The BDWOA algorithm was tested using test functions with randomly generated simulated data, with its performance compared against five related optimization algorithms. Results indicate that the BDWOA achieved the optimal value with the fewest iterations, effectively overcoming the limitations of the original whale optimization algorithm. Further validation using actual runoff data for the cascade hydropower station optimization scheduling model showed that the BDWOA effectively enhanced power generation efficiency. In high-flow years, the average power generation increased by 8.3%, 6.5%, 6.8%, 4.1%, and 8.2% compared to the five algorithms while achieving the shortest computation time. Significant improvements in power generation were also observed in normal-flow and low-flow years. The scheduling solutions generated by the BDWOA can adapt to varying inflow conditions, offering an innovative approach to solving complex hydropower station optimization scheduling problems. This contributes to the sustainable utilization of water resources and supports the long-term development of renewable energy. Full article

Worldwide, the development of massive hydropower projects is becoming more common, especially when it comes to attempts to mitigate environmental degradation and increase a nation’s energy capacity. People affected by projects (PAPs) are forced to relocate in order to support large-scale development initiatives, which puts their lives and livelihoods at jeopardy. In comparison to the value of infrastructure development, which is mostly reaped by distant stakeholders, it comes at a high cost. In relation to CSR/resettlement and rehabilitation programs carried out by construction corporations in Pakistan’s hydropower development, this study on the quality-of-life (QoL) and happiness indicators of PAPs is being conducted. The analysis of factors affecting happiness and other aspects of quality-of-life indicators, including job and livelihood opportunities, housing, health, infrastructure, social interactions, environmental sustainability, inclusion, equity, and diversity, is the goal of this study. Using a questionnaire survey approach, data were directly gathered from PAPs, and about 424 replies were obtained to help with the model’s development. Structural equation modelling has been applied in conjunction with multivariate statistical analysis to analyse data. The outcome demonstrates the essential connections between the concepts that were taught in light of human, social, environmental, physical, and economic problems. The results also show that project supporters’ relocation and rehabilitation efforts fell short of what was needed to improve the quality of people’s lives. As a result, a conceptual framework specifically tailored to the hydropower construction region has been created and verified to provide PAPs with a high-quality living environment. Full article

This research developed smart integrated hybrid renewable systems for small energy communities and applied them to a real system to achieve energy self-sufficiency and promote sustainable decentralized energy generation. It compares stand-alone (SA) and grid-connected (GC) configurations using a developed optimized mathematical model and data-driven optimization, with economic analysis of various renewable combinations (PV, Wind, PHS, BESS, and Grid) to search for the optimal solution. Four cases were developed: two stand-alone (SA1: PV + Wind + PHS, SA2: PV + Wind + PHS + BESS) and two grid-connected (GC1: PV + PHS + Grid, GC2: Wind + PHS + Grid). GC2 shows the most economical with stable cash flow (−€123.2 annually), low CO₂ costs (€367.2), and 91.7% of grid independence, requiring 125 kW of installed power. While GC options had lower initial investments (between €157k to €205k), the SA configurations provided lower levelized costs of energy (LCOE) ranging from €0.039 to €0.044/kWh. The integration of pumped hydropower storage enhances energy independence, supporting peak loads for up to two days with a storage capacity of 2.17 MWh. Full article

Effective seepage control is crucial for maintaining the structural integrity of Cemented Sand, Gravel and Rock (CSGR) dams. Traditional methods using conventional concrete (CVC) or grout-enriched roller-compacted concrete (GERCC) are costly and disruptive. This paper presents a novel technique for constructing the protection and seepage control layer in Cemented Sand, Gravel and Rock (CSGR) dams. The method involves grouting and vibrating the loosened Cemented Sand, Gravel and Rock (CSGR) material to create vibrated grout-enriched Cemented Sand, Gravel and Rock, which performs similarly to concrete. A new surface water stop structure has also been developed for the structural joints. Laboratory tests revealed that Cemented Sand, Gravel and Rock (CSGR) with a vibrating–compacted (VC) value of 2–6 s and a compressive strength of 4 MPa meets design requirements for medium and low dams when the slurry addition rate is 8–12%. The T-shaped surface water stop demonstrated a bonding strength of over 1.8 MPa, withstanding a water pressure of 1.6 MPa. This method, integrated with dam body construction, reduces material costs by about 50% and eliminates construction interference. Specialized equipment for this technique has been developed, with a capacity of 12 m²/h. Implemented in the Minjiang Navigation and Hydropower Qianwei Project and Shaping I Hydropower Station, it has shown significant economic, environmental and safety benefits, promoting sustainable dam construction. Full article

The importance of energy transition was underlined at COP28 in Dubai, where governments committed to tripling renewables capacities and doubling the rate of energy efficiency by 2030. However, the power generated by climate-dependent energy sources exhibits greater vulnerability to potential climate changes in the long term. Therefore, climate models play a pivotal role in estimating the effects of climate change on renewables in the context of strategic planning for the development and operation of new renewable power plants. In this context, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) developed a Global Energy Resilience Atlas aimed at providing insights into the climate change risks for the hydropower sector, the largest renewable electricity source for most countries, generating over 4300 TWh globally. This study focuses on defining four Hydro Climate Risk indices ($\mathrm{H}\mathrm{C}\mathrm{R}\mathrm{I}\mathrm{s}$) using historical and climate projection precipitation data for three climate scenarios. The final product is a freely available and interactive tool. The developed methodology and tool address how climate changes have historically affected hydropower generation and how they will impact the future at national scales. The final product also addresses the needs of policymakers at national, regional, and global levels in crafting long-term planning for a more secure energy sector, accelerating the energy transition to more sustainable and reliable energies. Full article

In the last two decades, Peru has experienced a process of transformation in the sources of its energy matrix, increasing the participation of clean energy such as solar photovoltaic (PV), on-shore wind, biomass, and small hydro. However, hydropower and natural gas remain the main sources of electricity, whereas off-shore wind, biogas, waves, tidal, and geothermal sources are currently underdeveloped. This article presents the enormous potential of Peru for the generation of electrical energy from a solar source equivalent to 25 GW, as it has in one of the areas of the world with the highest solar radiation throughout the year. In addition, this article presents the main advantages, benefits, and considerations of the implementation of solar photovoltaic technology, with emphasis on (i) the potential of solar energy, showing the available potential and an installed capacity by the year 2024 equivalent to 398 MW, (ii) current solar energy sources, characterizing existing industrial solar photovoltaic (PV) energy plants, and (iii) future solar energy facilities projections, stating the portfolio of solar renewable energy plant projects to be implemented in the future considering an installed capacity of 7.2 GW by 2028. Additionally, lessons learned, challenges, and directions for the future development of solar energy in the country are presented. Finally, the article concludes that if Peru takes advantage of solar potential by considering a sustainable future perspective and implementing strategic land-use planning, the southern region will be transformed into a world-class territory for renewable energy development considering the hybridization of concentrated solar power (CSP) systems with solar photovoltaic (PV) systems and solar energy storage systems. Full article

Tajikistan holds the eighth position globally in terms of hydropower potential, estimated at 527 terawatt-hours (TWh), with a technically exploitable capacity of 317 TWh. Only 4–6 percent of this immense potential is currently utilized. In this paper, employing a combination of the Johansen cointegration test, vector autoregression, and the Granger-causality test on annual data from 1993 to 2021, we examine the causality relationship between electricity production and key macroeconomic variables, including gross domestic product (GDP), GDP per capita, exports, imports, final consumption, capital investment, and employment, in Tajikistan. The empirical findings reveal a positive unidirectional causality from electricity production to exports and imports. A positive bidirectional or feedback causality is found between electricity production and variables such as GDP, GDP per capita, final consumption, and employment. No causality relationship between electricity production and variables such as trade openness and capital investment is observed. The exploration of complex causal relationships between electricity production and key macroeconomic variables in Tajikistan, as revealed in this study, offers a modest yet meaningful addition to academic discourse. It presents insights that may inform policymakers and stakeholders, albeit with a recognition of the limitations inherent in the findings. These insights could potentially guide the formulation of sustainable development strategies and shed light on the underutilized potential of the country’s hydropower resources. Full article

Hydropower plays a crucial role in supplying electricity to developed nations and is projected to expand its capacity in various developing countries such as Sub-Saharan Africa, Argentina, Colombia, and Turkey. With the increasing demand for sustainable energy and the emphasis on reducing carbon emissions, the significance of hydropower plants is growing. Nevertheless, numerous challenges arise for these plants due to their aging infrastructure, impacting both their efficiency and structural stability. In order to tackle these issues, the present study has formulated a specialized real-time framework for identifying damage, with a particular focus on detecting corrosion in the conductors of generators within hydropower plants. It should be noted that corrosion processes can be highly complex and nonlinear, making it challenging to develop accurate physics-based models that capture all the nuances. Therefore, the proposed framework leverages autoencoder, an unsupervised, data-driven AI technology with the Mahalanobis distance, to capture the intricacies of corrosion and automate its detection. Rigorous testing shows that it can identify slight variations indicating conductor corrosion with over 80% sensitivity and a 5% false alarm rate for ‘medium’ to ‘high’ severity damage. By detecting and resolving corrosion early, the system reduces disruptions, streamlines maintenance, and mitigates unscheduled repairs’ negative effects on the environment. This enhances energy generation effectiveness, promotes hydroelectric facilities’ long-term viability, and fosters community prosperity. Full article

This study was motivated by the high reliance on hydropower plants (HPPs) developed and planned along the river Nile and the fact that drought events are the most imminent and drastic threats to Uganda’s power production. The study aimed to assess HPPs’ resilience and the effectiveness of selected adaptation measures. The climate, land, energy, and water system (CLEWs) framework was employed to assess resilience amidst competing water demands and stringent environmental flow requirements. Under extreme dry conditions, power generation could plummet by 91% over the next 40 years, which translates into an annual per capita consumption of 19 kWh, barely sufficient to sustain a decent socioeconomic livelihood. During arid conditions, climate models predicted an increase in streamflow with increasing radiative forcing. Restricting the ecological flow to 150 m³/s could improve generation by 207%. In addition, if planned power plants were to be built 5 years ahead of schedule, the normalized mean annual plant production could increase by 23%. In contrast, increasing reservoir volumes for planned power plants will have no significant impact on generation. The path to HPP resilience could entail a combination of diversifying the generation mix, installing generators with varying capacities, and incorporating adjustable orifices on reservoirs. Full article

Vietnam has one of the most intensively energy-exploited riverscapes in Asia with at least 720 hydropower facilities of various capacities currently in operation or in some stage of construction. These facilities represent about 26 GW of installed capacity. This degree of domestic exploitation is often overshadowed by the geopolitically contested manipulation of the waters of the international Mekong River. In contrast, the utilization of Vietnam’s hydropower resources has unfolded gradually and largely unremarked for more than half a century. This perspective argues that the harnessing of rivers and streams for electricity generation is the result of not only the country’s abundant hydrologic resources, but also its history, culture, and (geo)politics. The paper traces the processes that have produced this high level of river exploitation, its ambiguous history, and the uncertain future of hydropower in Vietnam in the context of sustainability. Further, the renewed interest in dam-building in recent years is part of a “theater of decarbonization” that masks the operation of powerful domestic and international lobbies with an interest in “heavy engineering” projects that will do little to meet the nation’s rapidly growing electricity needs but will likely incur detrimental ecological and sociological impacts. The paper ends by positing that rather than forging ahead with the construction of additional small hydropower facilities, a more ecologically and socially equitable policy could instead critically examine the sustainability of existing capabilities, resolve the factors limiting the development of other renewable sources of energy, and face the fundamental challenge of curbing energy use. Full article

Renewable hydrogen production has an opportunity to reduce carbon emissions in the transportation and industrial sectors. This method generates hydrogen utilizing renewable energy sources, such as the sun, wind, and hydropower, lowering the number of greenhouse gases released into the environment. In recent years, considerable progress has been made in the production of sustainable hydrogen, particularly in the disciplines of electrolysis, biomass gasification, and photoelectrochemical water splitting. This review article figures out the capacity, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness of hydrogen production from renewable sources effectively comparing the conventionally used technologies with the latest techniques, which are getting better day by day with the implementation of the technological advancements. Governments, investors, and industry players are increasingly interested in manufacturing renewable hydrogen, and the global need for clean energy is expanding. It is projected that facilities for manufacturing renewable hydrogen, as well as infrastructure to support this development, would expand, hastening the transition to an environment-friendly and low-carbon economy. Full article

The Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is rich in hydropower resources for China, and the development of these has an important impact on the sustainable development of the plateau. However, the research on the pattern and processes of hydropower development on the plateau is still lacking. Using both field investigation and collected data, we evaluated the density and intensity of hydropower development on the Tibetan Plateau over the past 40 years. The spatial and temporal patterns of hydropower development were analyzed by applying exploratory spatial data analysis methods to study the spatial aggregation of hydropower development on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau since 1980. The results show that: (1) Hydropower development on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau can be divided into four stages—(i) pre-1980, at the beginning of development, with a small number of power stations and a small installed capacity; (ii) the period from 1980 to 2005, which was dominated by small hydropower developments, and the number of hydropower stations increased seven-fold; (iii) the 2005–2014 period, which saw large-scale cascade development; and (iv) post-2014, when hydropower development mode changed from quantity-led to scale-led. (2) Significant differences in hydropower development areas on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau regarding the density and intensity of development from east to west are constantly decreasing. (3) The increase in hydropower development density in the past 40 years is mainly due to the increasing aggregation effect of hydropower development absorption in the eastern region (the aggregation effect of western counties has not been shown). (4) While low hydropower development intensity is found in most areas of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau, attention must be given to river protection problems in the eastern high-intensity areas; failure to do so will increase the aggregation effect of hydropower development aggregation and, ultimately, affect the sustainable development of the regional development of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. Full article