Post on 28-Dec-2015
Hydropower Reform Hydropower Reform CoalitionCoalition
Hydropower Hydropower Reform Coalition – Reform Coalition – Western Caucus Western Caucus MeetingMeeting
Oakland, CAOakland, CA March 10/11, 2008March 10/11, 2008 Richard J. BowersRichard J. Bowers
Hydropower Reform Hydropower Reform CoalitionCoalition
Advocates for river Advocates for river protection and restoration at protection and restoration at individual, privately-owned individual, privately-owned hydropower dams regulated hydropower dams regulated by the Federal Energy by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Regulatory Commission (FERC)(FERC)
More than 140 local, More than 140 local, regional and national regional and national outdoor recreation and outdoor recreation and conservation organizations conservation organizations that have effectively reduced that have effectively reduced the footprint of hydropower the footprint of hydropower dams on rivers.dams on rivers.
Presentation OverviewPresentation Overview Perspectives on Perspectives on
hydropower and hydropower and watershedswatersheds
Hydropower as clean Hydropower as clean and renewable energy and renewable energy sourcesource
Economics of Economics of hydropower in a hydropower in a changing environmentchanging environment
New technologiesNew technologies Hydropower in a Hydropower in a
warmer worldwarmer world
Perspectives on Perspectives on HydropowerHydropower
The view from a The view from a river advocacy river advocacy positionposition
More than one More than one million fishermen, million fishermen, paddlers, birding paddlers, birding enthusiasts, and enthusiasts, and environmental environmental interests who are interests who are concerned with, and concerned with, and inspired by, riversinspired by, rivers
What is clean energy?What is clean energy?
Clean energy is any energy Clean energy is any energy that causes little or no harm that causes little or no harm to the environment. to the environment. Wind energyWind energy, solar energy , solar energy (in all its forms--(in all its forms--photovoltaicphotovoltaic, , geothermalgeothermal, solar thermal, , solar thermal, etc.), hydrogen and fuel etc.), hydrogen and fuel cells, wave and tidal energy, cells, wave and tidal energy, and biomass are all and biomass are all examples of clean energy.examples of clean energy.
What we’ve learned from What we’ve learned from history is that no known history is that no known energy source is 100% clean energy source is 100% clean
Conventional Hydropower Conventional Hydropower asas
Renewable EnergyRenewable Energy Water is renewable, Water is renewable,
abundant, reliable, abundant, reliable, affordable, & affordable, & sustainablesustainable
Low carbon-Low carbon-emissionsemissions
Potential of new Potential of new technologiestechnologies
Grid support for Grid support for wind, solar, otherwind, solar, other
Hydropower Impacts on Hydropower Impacts on Rivers & WatershedsRivers & Watersheds
Proven impacts on the Proven impacts on the function and resiliency of function and resiliency of natural systemsnatural systems
Fragmenting free-flowing Fragmenting free-flowing freshwater systemsfreshwater systems
Blocking the flow of Blocking the flow of nutrients and sedimentsnutrients and sediments
Blocking fish movementBlocking fish movement Destroying stream-side Destroying stream-side
habitathabitat Slowing and overheating the Slowing and overheating the
river upstream of the damriver upstream of the dam Reducing flows downstreamReducing flows downstream Destruction of native fish Destruction of native fish
populationspopulations Altering and reducing flows Altering and reducing flows
in formerly wild rivers.in formerly wild rivers.
Economics of DamsEconomics of Dams
Most of the sites that are environmentally and economically Most of the sites that are environmentally and economically acceptable have been developedacceptable have been developed
In a green economy, economic value must include the value and In a green economy, economic value must include the value and function that natural environments provide free of charge.function that natural environments provide free of charge.
As a mature technology, hydropower does not provide new and As a mature technology, hydropower does not provide new and innovative solutions, new investment and science, or job creation innovative solutions, new investment and science, or job creation
Expected changes in the future will affect the value of hydropower Expected changes in the future will affect the value of hydropower
Small Hydro ProjectsSmall Hydro Projects When you remove the When you remove the
few remaining sites for few remaining sites for new dams that make new dams that make environmental and environmental and economic sense, you are economic sense, you are left almost exclusively left almost exclusively with small scale hydro. with small scale hydro. Small hydro has all of the Small hydro has all of the impacts of a large dam impacts of a large dam on a river or watershed, on a river or watershed, with little of the with little of the economic or power economic or power production values. production values.
Small hydro = Small gain Small hydro = Small gain for huge costs!for huge costs!
What we supportWhat we support Water conservationWater conservation Keeping water in riverKeeping water in river Keeping water clean and Keeping water clean and
healthyhealthy Protecting speciesProtecting species Appropriately sited, Appropriately sited,
operated and mitigated operated and mitigated hydropowerhydropower
Hydropower that is Hydropower that is supportive of natural supportive of natural systemssystems
Increased efficiency at Increased efficiency at existing damsexisting dams
Opportunities to increase Opportunities to increase hydropower at non-power hydropower at non-power damsdams
Over 500 Small Hydro Over 500 Small Hydro Projects Proposed in British Projects Proposed in British
ColumbiaColumbia
HydrokineticsHydrokinetics Innovative hydropower Innovative hydropower
projects that use the forces projects that use the forces of currents, waves, and of currents, waves, and tides to generate clean, tides to generate clean, renewable electric energy. renewable electric energy.
Estimates are that the new Estimates are that the new hydrokinetic technologies, hydrokinetic technologies, if fully developed, could if fully developed, could double the amount of double the amount of hydropower production in hydropower production in the United States, bringing the United States, bringing it from just under 10% to it from just under 10% to close to 20% of the close to 20% of the national supply. national supply.
Hydrokinetic QuestionsHydrokinetic Questions
Unknowns regarding the potential environmental effects of Unknowns regarding the potential environmental effects of implementing new technologies in a new operating environment. implementing new technologies in a new operating environment.
Given that the commission is proposing a process in which license Given that the commission is proposing a process in which license applications would be reviewed, coordinated, and completed in the applications would be reviewed, coordinated, and completed in the space of six months, there is a great risk of rushing into decisions space of six months, there is a great risk of rushing into decisions that could result in significant unintended environmental impacts.that could result in significant unintended environmental impacts.
Potential impacts on commercial fishing, recreation and marine Potential impacts on commercial fishing, recreation and marine protection areas.protection areas.
Cumulative ImpactsCumulative Impacts
Recommendations to Recommendations to Reduce Impacts from a New Reduce Impacts from a New
TechnologyTechnology Identify appropriately Identify appropriately
sited renewable sited renewable energy facilitiesenergy facilities
Recognize and protect Recognize and protect sensitive speciessensitive species
Distinguish and avoid Distinguish and avoid potential impacts to potential impacts to recreation and recreation and commercial interestscommercial interests
Address cumulative Address cumulative impactsimpacts
Complete state, Complete state, regional and national regional and national planningplanning
Guarantee effective and Guarantee effective and coordinated public and coordinated public and agency involvementagency involvement
Include a requirement Include a requirement for project for project decommissioning and decommissioning and removal in cases where removal in cases where operation or installation operation or installation results in significant results in significant adverse impactsadverse impacts
Climate ChangeClimate Change Healthy Rivers are resilient – Healthy Rivers are resilient –
they are more likely to cope they are more likely to cope successfully with climate successfully with climate disruption.disruption.
Hydropower and healthy river Hydropower and healthy river ecosystems both depend on ecosystems both depend on flowing water. It is now flowing water. It is now beyond dispute that climate beyond dispute that climate change disruption will have change disruption will have physical effects on water physical effects on water availability which result in availability which result in important changes to the important changes to the timing, quantity and quality of timing, quantity and quality of river flows.river flows.
For hydropower production, For hydropower production, some of the effects and policy some of the effects and policy responses to climate responses to climate disruption shift the quantity of disruption shift the quantity of power produced, others affect power produced, others affect the value.the value.
Hydropower in a Warmer Hydropower in a Warmer WorldWorld
Reduced or increased quantity of power due to river flowReduced or increased quantity of power due to river flow Shifts in seasonal generationShifts in seasonal generation Flood control & spillsFlood control & spills Conflicts with other water usersConflicts with other water users Snowpack ReductionSnowpack Reduction Increased extreme precipitation eventsIncreased extreme precipitation events Increased evaporation and transpirationIncreased evaporation and transpiration Reduced PredictabilityReduced Predictability Changed water qualityChanged water quality
Parallel ImpactsParallel ImpactsHydropower & Climate Hydropower & Climate
ChangeChange Both destroy resiliency Both destroy resiliency
by disturbing habitats by disturbing habitats and altering the and altering the hydrological & fluvial hydrological & fluvial regimes within a regimes within a watershedwatershed
Both change the timing Both change the timing & volume of flows& volume of flows
Both increase water Both increase water temperaturetemperature
Both decrease water Both decrease water quality & quantityquality & quantity
Both reduce fish Both reduce fish migrationmigration
Both cause species Both cause species extinctionextinction
Hydropower Economics & Hydropower Economics & Potential in a Warmer Potential in a Warmer
WorldWorld Limited availability of Limited availability of
environmentally and environmentally and economically acceptable economically acceptable sitessites
No investment in new No investment in new technologies or job technologies or job creationcreation
Needed investment to Needed investment to offset history of natural offset history of natural systems impactsystems impact
offsetting damage to offsetting damage to natural systemsnatural systems
Time needed to site, Time needed to site, apply, approve and apply, approve and mitigate new dam mitigate new dam constructionconstruction
Recommendations for Recommendations for Hydropower in a Warmer Hydropower in a Warmer
WorldWorld Water conservation and Water conservation and
efficiencyefficiency Operate and equip Operate and equip
existing hydropower to existing hydropower to protect riversprotect rivers
New Hydropower – Not New Hydropower – Not new damsnew dams
Encourage non-Encourage non-conventional conventional hydropower with carehydropower with care
Coordinate multiple Coordinate multiple projects on a riverprojects on a river
Decommission and Decommission and remove hydropower remove hydropower dams where the benefits dams where the benefits are compellingare compelling
HRC Pacific Northwest HRC Pacific Northwest MembersMembers
Advocates for the West (ID)Advocates for the West (ID) Alaskan Center for the Environment Alaskan Center for the Environment
(AK)(AK) Alaskan Fly fishers (AK)Alaskan Fly fishers (AK) Alder Creek Canoe & Kayak (OR)Alder Creek Canoe & Kayak (OR) American RiversAmerican Rivers American WhitewaterAmerican Whitewater Bear River Watershed Council (ID)Bear River Watershed Council (ID) Cascadia Wildlands Project (OR)Cascadia Wildlands Project (OR) Center for Justice (WA)Center for Justice (WA) Columbia Riverkeeper (WA)Columbia Riverkeeper (WA) Conservation Northwest (WA)Conservation Northwest (WA) Federation of Fly Fishers (MT)Federation of Fly Fishers (MT) Fish for Cooper Creek Coalition (AK)Fish for Cooper Creek Coalition (AK) Friends of Living Oregon Waters Friends of Living Oregon Waters
(OR)(OR) Gifford Pinchot Task Force (OR)Gifford Pinchot Task Force (OR) Greater Yellowstone Coalition (MT)Greater Yellowstone Coalition (MT) Hells Canyon Preservation Council Hells Canyon Preservation Council
(OR)(OR) Idaho Rivers United (ID)Idaho Rivers United (ID)
Idaho Whitewater Association (ID)Idaho Whitewater Association (ID) Montana River Action Network Montana River Action Network
(MT)(MT) North Umpqua Foundation (OR)North Umpqua Foundation (OR) NW Resources Information Center NW Resources Information Center
(ID)(ID) Oregon Trout (OR)Oregon Trout (OR) Oregon Wild (OR)Oregon Wild (OR) Selkirk Conservation Alliance (ID)Selkirk Conservation Alliance (ID) Steelhead Trout Club of Washington Steelhead Trout Club of Washington
(WA)(WA) The Lands Council (WA)The Lands Council (WA) The Mountaineers (WA)The Mountaineers (WA) The Steamboaters (OR)The Steamboaters (OR) Trout UnlimitedTrout Unlimited Umpqua Valley Audubon Society Umpqua Valley Audubon Society
(OR)(OR) Umpqua Watersheds (OR)Umpqua Watersheds (OR) Utah Rivers Council (UT)Utah Rivers Council (UT) Washington Kayak Club (WA)Washington Kayak Club (WA) Water Watch of Oregon (OR)Water Watch of Oregon (OR)