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Internationalizing the political economy of hydroelectricity: security, development and sustainability in hydropower states

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  • Benjamin K. Sovacool
  • Götz Walter

Abstract

Our study offers a comparative assessment of the economic, sociopolitical and environmental implications of the world’s largest source of renewable electricity, hydropower. Theorists from many disciplines have questioned both the proper role and ostensible benefits from the generation of electricity from large-scale hydroelectric dams. In this study, we use 30 years of World Bank data from 1985 to 2014 and a research design with three mutually exclusive reference classes of countries: major hydropower producers, members of OPEC and all other countries. This is precisely so our analysis moves away from ‘dam-centric’ or single case study approaches to comparative analysis at the international scale. We examine and test six separate hypotheses related to (a) military conflict, (2) poverty, (3) economic growth, (4) public debt, (5) corruption and (6) greenhouse gas emissions.Our analysis lends statistical support to the idea that there is such a thing as a ‘hydroelectric resource curse’, although effects were not always significant and varied from small, medium to large. The possible benefits of hydroelectricity—improved energy access, economic development and positive spillover effects—are real, but they are all too frequently constrained. Planners, investors and researchers may therefore need to rethink their underlying assumptions about how they evaluate hydropower’s risk.

Suggested Citation

  • Benjamin K. Sovacool & Götz Walter, 2019. "Internationalizing the political economy of hydroelectricity: security, development and sustainability in hydropower states," Review of International Political Economy, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 26(1), pages 49-79, January.
  • Handle: RePEc:taf:rripxx:v:26:y:2019:i:1:p:49-79
    DOI: 10.1080/09692290.2018.1511449
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    Cited by:

    1. Altayib, Khalid & Dincer, Ibrahim, 2022. "Development of an integrated hydropower system with hydrogen and methanol production," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 240(C).
    2. Jaewon Jung & Sungeun Jung & Junhyeong Lee & Myungjin Lee & Hung Soo Kim, 2021. "Analysis of Small Hydropower Generation Potential: (2) Future Prospect of the Potential under Climate Change," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(11), pages 1-26, May.
    3. Henrique Oliveira & Víctor Moutinho, 2021. "Renewable Energy, Economic Growth and Economic Development Nexus: A Bibliometric Analysis," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-28, July.
    4. Eberhard Rothfuß & Festus Boamah, 2020. "Politics and (Self)-Organisation of Electricity System Transitions in a Global North–South Perspective," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(3), pages 162-172.
    5. Evensen, Darrick & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2024. "Political economy of low-carbon electricity: Governance effects across 198 countries," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 189(PB).
    6. Llamosas, Cecilia & Sovacool, Benjamin K., 2021. "The future of hydropower? A systematic review of the drivers, benefits and governance dynamics of transboundary dams," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    7. Tor Håkon Jackson Inderberg, 2020. "Centrally Decentralising? Analysing Key Policies and Pathways in Norway’s Electricity Transitions," Politics and Governance, Cogitatio Press, vol. 8(3), pages 173-184.

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