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Reducing greenhouse gas emissions of Amazon hydropower with strategic dam planning

Author

Listed:
  • Rafael M. Almeida

    (Cornell University)

  • Qinru Shi

    (Cornell University, Institute for Computational Sustainability)

  • Jonathan M. Gomes-Selman

    (Stanford University)

  • Xiaojian Wu

    (Cornell University, Institute for Computational Sustainability
    Microsoft AI & Research)

  • Yexiang Xue

    (Cornell University, Institute for Computational Sustainability
    Purdue University)

  • Hector Angarita

    (Stockholm Environment Institute Latin America)

  • Nathan Barros

    (Federal University of Juiz de Fora)

  • Bruce R. Forsberg

    (National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA))

  • Roosevelt García-Villacorta

    (Cornell University)

  • Stephen K. Hamilton

    (Michigan State University
    Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies)

  • John M. Melack

    (University of California at Santa Barbara)

  • Mariana Montoya

    (Wildlife Conservation Society Peru)

  • Guillaume Perez

    (Cornell University, Institute for Computational Sustainability)

  • Suresh A. Sethi

    (Cornell University)

  • Carla P. Gomes

    (Cornell University, Institute for Computational Sustainability)

  • Alexander S. Flecker

    (Cornell University)

Abstract

Hundreds of dams have been proposed throughout the Amazon basin, one of the world’s largest untapped hydropower frontiers. While hydropower is a potentially clean source of renewable energy, some projects produce high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit electricity generated (carbon intensity). Here we show how carbon intensities of proposed Amazon upland dams (median = 39 kg CO2eq MWh−1, 100-year horizon) are often comparable with solar and wind energy, whereas some lowland dams (median = 133 kg CO2eq MWh−1) may exceed carbon intensities of fossil-fuel power plants. Based on 158 existing and 351 proposed dams, we present a multi-objective optimization framework showing that low-carbon expansion of Amazon hydropower relies on strategic planning, which is generally linked to placing dams in higher elevations and smaller streams. Ultimately, basin-scale dam planning that considers GHG emissions along with social and ecological externalities will be decisive for sustainable energy development where new hydropower is contemplated.

Suggested Citation

  • Rafael M. Almeida & Qinru Shi & Jonathan M. Gomes-Selman & Xiaojian Wu & Yexiang Xue & Hector Angarita & Nathan Barros & Bruce R. Forsberg & Roosevelt García-Villacorta & Stephen K. Hamilton & John M., 2019. "Reducing greenhouse gas emissions of Amazon hydropower with strategic dam planning," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 10(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:10:y:2019:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-019-12179-5
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12179-5
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    Cited by:

    1. Gemechu, Eskinder & Kumar, Amit, 2022. "A review of how life cycle assessment has been used to assess the environmental impacts of hydropower energy," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    2. Ge, Zewen & Geng, Yong & Wei, Wendong & Jiang, Mingkun & Chen, Bin & Li, Jiashuo, 2023. "Embodied carbon emissions induced by the construction of hydropower infrastructure in China," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    3. Boyce, Scott & He, Fangliang, 2023. "Effects of government policy, socioeconomics, and weather on residential GHG emissions across subnational jurisdictions: The case of Canada," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 182(C).
    4. Jager, Henriette I. & Griffiths, Natalie A. & Hansen, Carly H. & King, Anthony W. & Matson, Paul G. & Singh, Debjani & Pilla, Rachel M., 2022. "Getting lost tracking the carbon footprint of hydropower," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    5. Taitiya Kenneth Yuguda & Yi Li & Bobby Shekarau Luka & Goziya William Dzarma, 2020. "Incorporating Reservoir Greenhouse Gas Emissions into Carbon Footprint of Sugar Produced from Irrigated Sugarcane in Northeastern Nigeria," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-24, December.
    6. Rahim Zahedi & Reza Eskandarpanah & Mohammadhossein Akbari & Nima Rezaei & Paniz Mazloumin & Omid Noudeh Farahani, 2022. "Development of a New Simulation Model for the Reservoir Hydropower Generation," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(7), pages 2241-2256, May.
    7. Grace C. Wu & Ranjit Deshmukh & Anne Trainor & Anagha Uppal & A. F. M. Kamal Chowdhury & Carlos Baez & Erik Martin & Jonathan Higgins & Ana Mileva & Kudakwashe Ndhlukula, 2024. "Avoiding ecosystem and social impacts of hydropower, wind, and solar in Southern Africa’s low-carbon electricity system," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    8. Fernandez Vazquez, Carlos A.A. & Vansighen, Thomas & Fernandez Fuentes, Miguel H. & Quoilin, Sylvain, 2024. "Energy transition implications for Bolivia. Long-term modelling with short-term assessment of future scenarios," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    9. Stephen R. J. Tsuji & Dan D. P. McCarthy & Stephen Quilley, 2021. "Green Energy—Green for Whom? A Case Study of the Kabinakagami River Waterpower Project in Northern Canada," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(16), pages 1-32, August.
    10. Vieira de Mendonça, Henrique & Assemany, Paula & Abreu, Mariana & Couto, Eduardo & Maciel, Alyne Martins & Duarte, Renata Lopes & Barbosa dos Santos, Marcela Granato & Reis, Alberto, 2021. "Microalgae in a global world: New solutions for old problems?," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(P1), pages 842-862.
    11. Li, Mingxu & He, Nianpeng, 2022. "Carbon intensity of global existing and future hydropower reservoirs," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 162(C).
    12. Garrett, Kayla P. & McManamay, Ryan A. & Witt, Adam, 2023. "Harnessing the power of environmental flows: Sustaining river ecosystem integrity while increasing energy potential at hydropower dams," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    13. Coilín ÓhAiseadha & Gerré Quinn & Ronan Connolly & Michael Connolly & Willie Soon, 2020. "Energy and Climate Policy—An Evaluation of Global Climate Change Expenditure 2011–2018," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-49, September.
    14. Bilgili, Faik & Lorente, Daniel Balsalobre & Kuşkaya, Sevda & Ünlü, Fatma & Gençoğlu, Pelin & Rosha, Pali, 2021. "The role of hydropower energy in the level of CO2 emissions: An application of continuous wavelet transform," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 178(C), pages 283-294.
    15. Luo, Bin & Huang, Guohe & Li, Jianyong & Liu, Lirong & Zhai, Mengyu & Pan, Xiaojie & Zhao, Kai, 2022. "Sector-level socio-economic and environmental effects of large-scale hydropower initiatives -- a multi-region multi-phase model for the Wudongde Hydropower Station," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 317(C).

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