Xu, R, Zeng, Z, Pan, M et al. (21 more authors) (2023) A global-scale framework for hydropower development incorporating strict environmental constraints. Nature Water, 1 (1). pp. 113-122. ISSN 2731-6084
Abstract
The benefits of developing the world’s hydropower potential are intensely debated when considering the need to avoid or minimize environmental impacts. However, estimates of global unused profitable hydropower potential with strict environmental constraints have rarely been reported. In this study we performed a global assessment of the unused profitable hydropower potential by developing a unified framework that identifies a subset of hydropower station locations with reduced environmental impacts on the network of 2.89 million rivers worldwide. We found that the global unused profitable hydropower potential is 5.27 PWh yr−1, two-thirds of which is distributed across the Himalayas. Africa’s unused profitable hydropower is 0.60 PWh yr−1, four times larger than its developed hydropower. By contrast, Europe’s hydropower potential is extremely exploited. The estimates, derived from a consistent and transparent framework, are useful for formulating national hydropower development strategies.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited. This is an author produced version of an article published in Nature Water. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Earth and Environment (Leeds) The University of Leeds > Faculty of Environment (Leeds) > School of Geography (Leeds) > River Basin Processes & Management (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number NERC (Natural Environment Research Council) NE/P011160/1 EU - European Union 765553 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 09 Mar 2023 16:03 |
Last Modified: | 16 Jul 2023 00:13 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Nature Research |
Identification Number: | 10.1038/s44221-022-00004-1 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:196753 |