scholarly journals Strategies for Mitigating the Impact of Hydropower Plants on the Stocks of Diadromous Species in the Daugava River

2016 ◽  
Vol 95 ◽  
pp. 81-88 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alona Bolonina ◽  
Claudio Comoglio ◽  
Olle Calles ◽  
Maris Kunickis
Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 433
Author(s):  
Laima Česonienė ◽  
Midona Dapkienė ◽  
Petras Punys

Hydropower plants produce renewable and sustainable energy but affect the river’s physico-chemical characteristics and change the abundance and composition of the aquatic organisms. The impact of large HPPs on the ecological conditions of surface water bodies have been extensively studied, but less attention has been paid to environmental impact studies of small hydropower plants (SHPs). The impact of hydropeaking on both the river flow regime and ecosystems has been well-studied for peaking mode plants, mainly medium to large-sized ones. However, for small hydroelectric power plants, and especially for those in lowland rivers, the available information on water quality, benthic macroinvertebrates communities and fish abundance, and biomass is not sufficient. Ten small hydropower plants were selected, and the ecological status of water bodies was assessed in different parts of Lithuania. The studies were performed at the riverbed upstream from the SHPs, where the hydrological regime has not changed, and downstream from the SHPs. It was found that the small hydropower plants do not affect the physico-chemical values of the water quality indicators. This study demonstrated that the total number of benthic macroinvertebrates taxa (TS) is influenced by the concentration of nitrogen and suspended solids, the water flow, the river area, and the current speed; the number of EPT (Ephemeroptera (mayflies), Plecoptera (stoneflies), and Trichoptera (caddisflies)) taxa is influenced by the concentration of nitrogen and suspended solids. The studied indicators do not have a significant impact on biomass. The SHPs affect the fish abundance and biomass. The Lithuanian fish index (LFI) is influenced by the average depth and area of the river. Some SHPs operating in lowland areas may yield somewhat significant hydrograph ramping but more detailed investigation is needed to support the significance of this impact on the biological indices.


2022 ◽  
Vol 10 (01) ◽  
pp. 2888-2904
Author(s):  
Dr. MUTESI Jean Claude

The study investigated the socio-economic and environmental impact of hydropower projects in Rwanda with a case study of Rubagabaga hydropower Ltd operating from Nyabihu District. It examines the impact of a socio-economic and environmental hydropower plant in Rwanda, identifies the challenge hydropower plants face in Rwanda, and finally investigates the relationship between hydro powers and their socio-economic impact in Rwanda? In this research, the quantitative research design is based on statistical data of the research that was used with quantitative and qualitative methods. Questionnaires were used to collect data. The target population of this study was made up of 252 participants including 154 respondents all from ten different villages surrounding the Rubagabaga plant in Nyabihu District. Data were analyzed using descriptive and correlation analysis and tables that were interpreted to confirm or deny the relevance of the main and specific objectives. Based on results from table no.16 demonstrates that the beta= 0.397 with the t value of 2.333 and the p-value of 0. 021. Since the p-value is less than 0.05, the researcher rejected the null hypothesis and considered it an alternate. There is a strong positive relationship between environmental assessment of hydropower plant projects and socio-environmental sustenance and development. In a nutshell, the researcher has rejected the null hypothesis and considered its alternate. Community structure and dynamics have a positive influence on socio-environmental sustenance and development. Table no.16 shows that beta= 0.341 with the t value of 2.668 as the p-value was 0.009. Since the p-value is less than 0.05. Therefore, the researcher rejected the null hypothesis and considered it an alternate. According to table no.21, the changes in community structure and dynamics of the hydropower plant project cause the increase of 0.341 (34.1%) of the socio-environment sustenance and development. The ratio of beta modal results for the t value expressed t=2.66 hence the probability value is significant on socio-environment sustenance and development noting that sig. =0.009. Carefully, the researcher has rejected the null hypothesis and considered its alternate. With this in mind, community structure and dynamics has a positive influence on socio-environmental sustenance and development. Table no.16 has shown beta= 0.478 with the t value of 4.543 as the p-value was 0.000 which is less than 0.05. According to the findings, the changes in government policies, stability, and support of hydropower plant project causes the increase of 0.478 (47.80%) of the socio-environment sustenance and development. The ratio of beta modal results for the t value expressed t= 4.54 hence the probability value is significant on socio-environment sustenance and development noting that sig. =0.000.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (7) ◽  
pp. 2530-2546
Author(s):  
Mohammad Reza Goodarzi ◽  
Hamed Vagheei ◽  
Rabi H. Mohtar

Abstract The interdependent fundamental systems, water and energy, face abundant challenges, one of which is climate change, which is expected to aggravate water and energy securities. The hydropower industry's benefits have led to its development and growth around the world. Nonetheless, climate change is expected to disturb the future performance of hydropower plants. This study looks at the Seimareh Hydropower Plant to assess the potential vulnerability of hydropower plants to climate change. Results indicate that climate change will affect the area's hydrological variables and suggest an increase in temperatures and decrease in precipitation during a 30-year future period (2040–2069). It is predicted that Seimareh Dam's inflow will decrease by between 5.2% and 13.4% in the same period. These hydrological changes will affect the Seimareh plant's performance: current predictions are that the total energy produced will decrease by between 8.4% and 16.3%. This research indicates the necessity of considering climate change impacts in designing and maintaining hydraulic structures to reach their optimal performance.


Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (12) ◽  
pp. 3542
Author(s):  
Paweł Tomczyk ◽  
Mirosław Wiatkowski

Hydropower in Europe is playing an increasingly important role as a renewable source of energy. Its share of the final energy consumption varies from country to country, posing different challenges in each. The European Union member states are obliged, according to energy policy, to increase the share of renewable energy. This article presents the challenges related to the development of hydropower in four countries with different shares of domestic electricity production from hydropower plants: Albania (100% share in 2019), Slovenia (25.7%), Poland (1.1%), and Estonia (0.3%). Particular attention is paid to the issues of rational management of water resources in connection to Europe’s energy policy. As a result of the case study analysis, the challenges in the development of hydropower are identified, as well as ways to solve them. In addition, a comprehensive analysis of the impact of social, economic, environmental and climate change factors on the development of hydropower was conducted. At present, whether the assumed goals of the European Union’s energy policy will be achieved is impossible to determine for the whole of Europe. Achieving these goals will be possible only after individual countries prepare comprehensive reports on the topics of renewable energy sources, including hydropower.


2013 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 3983-4000 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. H. Bakken ◽  
Å. Killingtveit ◽  
K. Engeland ◽  
K. Alfredsen ◽  
A. Harby

Abstract. Since the report from IPCC on renewable energy (IPCC, 2012) was published; more studies on water consumption from hydropower have become available. The newly published studies do not, however, contribute to a more consistent picture on what the "true" water consumption from hydropower plants is. The dominant calculation method is the gross evaporation from the reservoirs divided by the annual power production, which appears to be an over-simplistic calculation method that possibly produces a biased picture of the water consumption of hydropower plants. This review paper shows that the water footprint of hydropower is used synonymously with water consumption, based on gross evaporation rates. This paper also documents and discusses several methodological problems when applying this simplified approach (gross evaporation divided by annual power production) for the estimation of water consumption from hydropower projects. A number of short-comings are identified, including the lack of clarity regarding the setting of proper system boundaries in space and time. The methodology of attributing the water losses to the various uses in multi-purpose reservoirs is not developed. Furthermore, a correct and fair methodology for handling water consumption in reservoirs based on natural lakes is needed, as it appears meaningless that all the evaporation losses from a close-to-natural lake should be attributed to the hydropower production. It also appears problematic that the concept is not related to the impact the water consumption will have on the local water resources, as high water consumption values might not be problematic per se. Finally, it appears to be a paradox that a reservoir might be accorded a very high water consumption/footprint and still be the most feasible measure to improve the availability of water in a region. We argue that reservoirs are not always the problem; rather they may contribute to the solution of the problems of water scarcity. The authors consider that an improved conceptual framework is needed in order to calculate the water footprint from hydropower projects in a more reasonable way.


2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 2541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonas Savelsberg ◽  
Moritz Schillinger ◽  
Ingmar Schlecht ◽  
Hannes Weigt

Hydropower represents an important pillar of electricity systems in many countries. It not only plays an important role in mitigating climate change, but is also subject to climate-change impacts. In this paper, we use the Swiss electricity market model Swissmod to study the effects of changes in water availability due to climate change on Swiss hydropower. Swissmod is an electricity dispatch model with a plant-level representation of 96% of Swiss hydropower plants and their interrelations within cascade structures. Using this detailed model in combination with spatially disaggregated climate-change runoff projections for Switzerland, we show that climate change has ambiguous impacts on hydropower and on the overall electricity system. Electricity prices and overall system costs increase under dry conditions and decrease under average or wet conditions. While the change of seasonal patterns, with a shift to higher winter runoff, has positive impacts, the overall yearly inflow varies under hydrological conditions. While average and wet years yield an increase in inflows and revenues, dry years become drier, resulting in the opposite effect. Even though different in magnitude, the direction of impacts persists when applying the same changes in inflows to the 2050 electricity system.


10.29007/jqtw ◽  
2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Thanh Hao Nguyen ◽  
Philippe Gourbesville ◽  
Ngoc Duong Vo

Artificial reservoir operation is expected to affect significantly the flood disaster. It becomes more complicatedly towards the large systems where the operation of each reservoir has to meet fully with the systematic objective. Consequently, reservoir operation optimization is considered as a key factor to control the flood disaster at downstream area. Due to energy demand, more than twenty hydropower plants have been constructed over 10,350 km2 of Vu Gia Thu Bon river catchments. The system has contributed importantly for economy development when provides annually a green electrical quantity up to 6 Terawatt-hour (TWh). Therefore, operation of system has still several limitations. It is judged to make the natural disaster increase in recent years. In order to reduce negative impacts of artificial reservoir system, four largest reservoirs are selected to simulate in this study. The simulation is carried out via Structure Control (SO) module of MIKE 11 model (DHI). The performance of operational scenario is demonstrated via the relation with the water level at two stations. The study is expected to provide an overview of the impact of artificial reservoir operation to flood disasters, as well as propose a new strategy to operate optimally the hydropower plants in Vu Gia Thu Bon catchments.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (18) ◽  
pp. 2459
Author(s):  
Florentina Bunea ◽  
Gabriel Dan Ciocan ◽  
Diana Maria Bucur ◽  
Georgiana Dunca ◽  
Adrian Nedelcu

The environmentally friendly concept in terms of water quality represents a condition for developing hydropower plants all around the world. Since 2017, hydropower has represented more than 70% of all renewable energy production and it is essential for the integration of the other renewable sources of energy and for regulation of the grid. To maintain the “green” label concerning the dissolved oxygen level (6 mg DO/L), the energy suppliers should respond to environmental concerns about the operation of hydropower plants. In the context of sustainable development, the ecological degradation of rivers is unacceptable due to the implementation of a hydropower plant on the watercourse. For deep reservoirs or tropical regions, the oxygen level in the water downstream of the hydropower plants may be low and affect the aquatic life for many kilometers downstream. This paper presents a new aeration system for discharged water from hydropower plants that provides water aeration with minimum energy consumption. The influence of the aeration process on the turbine operation and efficiency is analyzed. Experimental measurements are carried out on site on a small Francis turbine. The influence of the aeration process on the turbine mechanical performances (vibration level and relative displacement) and hydraulic performances (turbine efficiency, power output, and pressure fluctuation) is analyzed. The results showed that the impact of the aeration device implementation and operation over the energetic characteristics of the turbine is in the efficiency measurements accuracy range. The aeration through this device did not influence the turbine operation (vibration, level, or pressure fluctuations).


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