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Hydroelectricity is a renewable and
non-polluting energy source without any greenhouse gas discharge and no toxic waste production. Accident risks (bursting of the dam) are very low as a result of continuous inspection of the structures. The main risks concern the local ecological balance, particularly downstream from the dam and
especially
for the very large dams.
World hydroelectricity production
progressed, in the 10 years between 1995 and 2005, by 18 %, but a lot less rapidly than world electricity production
in general
(+37%)! The rate of growth is very low in North America and Europe.
It is believed that the planet’s exploitable hydroelectric potential is around 14 000 TWh, 5 times the potential exploited as at today.
Of this global potential, 25% is in Asia, 25% in South America and 25% in the ex-USSR region. But its current development shows a very different pattern: North America and Europe already exploit half their potential, but Asia 11%, ex-USSR 7% and Africa only 4%.
Hydroelectric energy sources should logically undergo strong development in the coming decades given their non-polluting nature and significant unexploited potential.
However, there are three major factors slowing down this development:
- The social problem of the people displaced.
Ideally, displacement should not result in a fall in living standards although this is often difficult to achieve. They must be rehoused, found work at least as well paid as before ,new land for cultivation, since they are often small farmers...
- Environmental problems and disturbance of the ecological balance, both upstream and downstream of the dam, necessitating in-depth study; and, above all, the availability of substantial means with which to attempt to alleviate the problems highlighted by these studies;
Large and medium-sized dams are very expensive: Governments are looking more and more to private funds or on major international organisations such as the World Bank to finance them. But private investors could turn their backs on hydroelectric projects, preferring instead the development of fossil sources, because of the mistakes that have often been made up to now in the construction of the large dams: badly-conceived and executed population
displacement programmes; costs significantly higher than those budgeted at the beginning; lack of discipline and major delays in construction; decision-taking processes that are more political than economic … none of which is at all positive for the profitability of the project!
The future of
hydroelectricity
development therefore depends on the capabilities of the governments and the public sector to develop a satisfactory modus operandi with the private sector so that the latter will agree to invest in dam construction.
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