Overview of HEP

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Overview of HEP

AdvantagesGetting Started

  • Renewable and non-deletable - a resource suitable for long-term use with low emissions
  • Habitat provision - while it destroys some habitats, it creates aquatic areas which could have a high wildlife value
  • Leisure - a positive impact on humans. From a conservation perspective, if biodiversity is high here then introducing people to this would raise awareness
  • Helical turbines have a high efficiency and can carry fish down without harming them
  • Micro-hydro schemes are localised projects which divert some of the river water but crucially not all of it, so it does not block the migration of mobile species
  • Produces electricity - a useful form of energy for domestic use and many services
  • Controlled - intermittency is reduced by the control humans have over the flow of the water through turbines. This means the water can be stored in times of low demand and then released later

Disadvantages

  • High embodied energy - a result of using high amounts of concrete/cement in construction
  • Habitat loss - through creation of the dam; also people will be displaced
  • Change - reduction in turbidity downstream due to the sedimentation in the dam. This also means that nutrients in areas downstream are not replenished
  • New flow regime - e.g: change from seasonal river flow variations to a constant flow rate or vice versa. This disrupts the wildlife that have evolved and adapted to the environment
  • Depleted oxygen - in static water the decomposition of dead organic matter reduces the oxygen content in the water, creating an anoxic environment posing threats to fish and indigenous species
  • Locational constraints - requires a large area of land usually including a steep valley. Geology is also important: impermeable bedrock is needed, as well as access roads for construction

Evaluation

- long term advantages are mainly promoting the use of HEP schemes (particularly lack of pollution)- last a long time, and do not require fuel replenishment, only maintenance. Waterwheels need even less maintenance as they do not get blocked by leaves and litter- developments like fish ladders and helical turbines have overcome concerns about fish mortality- but the impact can be beyond the aquatic wildlife, e.g: great dusky swifts in Iguazu Falls are suffering chick deaths due to sudden increase in flow rates

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