Stories
Slash Boxes
Comments

SoylentNews is people

posted by chromas on Tuesday November 06 2018, @11:45PM   Printer-friendly
from the dam-nation dept.

Large hydropower dams 'not sustainable' in the developing world

A new study says that many large scale hydropower projects in Europe and the US have been disastrous for the environment. Dozens of these dams are being removed every year, with many considered dangerous and uneconomic. But the authors fear that the unsustainable nature of these projects has not been recognised in the developing world. Thousands of new dams are now being planned for rivers in Africa and Asia.

[...] Dams are now being removed at a rate of more than one a week on both sides of the Atlantic. The problem, say the authors of this new paper [open, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1809426115] [DX], is that governments were blindsided by the prospect of cheap electricity without taking into account the full environmental and social costs of these installations. More than 90% of dams built since the 1930s were more expensive than anticipated. They have damaged river ecology, displaced millions of people and have contributed to climate change by releasing greenhouse gases from the decomposition of flooded lands and forests.

[...] In the developing world, an estimated 3,700 dams, large and small are now in various stages of development. The authors say their big worry is that many of the bigger projects will do irreparable damage to the major rivers on which they are likely to be built. On the Congo river, the Grand Inga project is expected to produce more than a third of the total electricity currently being generated in Africa. However, the new study points out that the main goal for the $80bn installation will be to provide electricity to industry. "Over 90% of the energy from this project is going to go to South Africa for mining and the people in the Congo will not get that power," said Prof Moran.


Original Submission

 
This discussion has been archived. No new comments can be posted.
Display Options Threshold/Breakthrough Mark All as Read Mark All as Unread
The Fine Print: The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. We are not responsible for them in any way.
  • (Score: 3, Interesting) by marcello_dl on Wednesday November 07 2018, @12:29AM

    by marcello_dl (2685) on Wednesday November 07 2018, @12:29AM (#758765)

    Literally inside my town, near the center, there are two little hydroelectric power plants, the second one is only a few hundred mt. downstream of the first, using the same small canal, no need to flood anything. Residents, mice and ducks tolerate them no prob, fish I dunno. Barbieri power plant [500px.com]. Some other watermills are there, but static, I guess kept for decorative purposes.

    Starting Score:    1  point
    Moderation   +1  
       Interesting=1, Total=1
    Extra 'Interesting' Modifier   0  
    Karma-Bonus Modifier   +1  

    Total Score:   3