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Hydroelectric Potential in Developing Countries By: Sean Morrison

This article explores the pros and cons of hydropower in developing countries, including the challenges and benefits of utilizing hydroelectricity. It also provides case studies of hydropower projects in China, India, Uganda, and Brazil.

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Hydroelectric Potential in Developing Countries By: Sean Morrison

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  1. Hydroelectric Potential in Developing Countries By: Sean Morrison University of Wisconsin Eau Claire Department of Geography and Anthropology

  2. Pros and Cons of Hydropower • Pros • Low Power Costs • Flexibility • Reduce CO2 emissions • Recreational use of reservoir • Pay for construction costs • Cons • Ecosystem damage • Changes downstream character of river system • Loss of land • Siltation and sedimentation • Methane emissions • Relocation • Failure Risks The Gordon Dam in Tasmania, installed capacity of 430 MW.

  3. William Gropper’s Construction of a Dam • US Hydropower • The US was one of the first countries to utilize hydropower in the late 19th and early 20th century. • In 1920 40% of US power was provided by hydroelectricity • Federal investment in the early 20th century provided fund necessary to build numerous hydroelectric dams across the country. • New Deal programs lead to the investment in the hydroelectric dams across the country including the: • Tennessee Valley Authority • Hoover Dam • Bonneville Power Administration

  4. Currently 1.7 billion people live without electricity. Roughly 40% of the population of developing countries. Only 5% of Africa’s Hydropower is developed.

  5. Small Hyrdopower (SHP) • No agreed upon definition but usually 10MW run-on-the-river dams. • Minimize many of the disadvantages of hydropower • Expanding commercial markets for renewable energy have lead to increased investment in SHP worldwide. • Currently generate SHP generates 25,000MW in developing countries. Large Hydropower generates 260,000MW. • SHP important in rural energy development. • Comparatively cheap to build. • Many companies make prebuilt turbines for easy installation. • Equipment is small allowing for easy transportation. Typical layout of a SHP station. Photo taken in China. Water enters the station from mountain streams through the black pipe seen in the photo. Basic layout of a run-on-the-river small hydropower station.

  6. Case Studies • China • Tax reduction, grants, soft loans promote investment in SHP • Invests roughly 30 million Euro in SHP per year • Construct about half of worlds SHP equipment • About 22% of energy comes from hydropower • India • 1,700MW of installed SHP • Potential for 15,000 MW of SHP • Uganda • Potential for 200MW of SHP • Very few facilities installed • Brazil • 88% of energy from hydropower • 9,600MW SHP installed • 1,400MW SHP proposed The Three gorges dam on the Yangtze River in China is currently the world largest hydroelectric dam. It has an installed capacity of 22,500 MW and flooded an area of 632 sq km. Large dams and reservoirs help power Brazil’s electricity needs. However the reservoirs flood large areas of land disrupting local ecosystems. The Itaipu Dam is the largest dam in the world in terms of annual electrical production. In 2008 it generated 94.68TWh, providing 90% of Paraguay’s and 19% of Brazil’s electrical consumption. The dam has an installed capacity of 14,000 MW.

  7. Southeastern Anatolian Project -Güneydoğu Anadolu Projesi- (GAP) • Project to provide electricity and irrigation to rural regions of southeastern Turkey. • 22 dams with 19 hydropower station. • When completed will irrigate over 1,000,000 hectares of land and provide 7,500 MW of power. • Controversy has arisen from: • Resettlement of people • Loss of cultural artifacts • Fears from downstream countries since the dams would allow Turkey to control the flow of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers.

  8. Grand Inga Dam • Two dams already built. Two being planned. • Expected $80 Billion cost. • 39,000 MW of power. • Congo drops 96m with average flow of 42,476m3/s.

  9. References Hausman, W. J., Neufeld, J. L., 1999, Falling water: The origins of direct federal participation in the US electric utility industry, 1902-1933: Annals of Public and Cooperative Economics, v. 70, p. 49-74. Hydroelectricity, 2013, Wikimedia Project: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hydroelectric#History (accessed April 2013). Inga Dams, 2013, Wikimedia Project: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inga_Dam#Inga_III (accessed April 2013). Itaipu Dam, 2013, Wikimedia Project: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Itaipu_dam (accessed April 2013). Martinot, E., Chaurey, A., Lew, D., Moreira, J.R., Wamukonya, N., 2002, Renewable energy markets in developing countries: Annual Review of Energy and the Enviroment, v. 27, p. 309-348. Three Gorges Dam, 2013, Wikimedia Project: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three_gorges_dam (accessed April 2013).

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