As part of the World Small Hydro Power Development Report, a special report on “Small hydropower and climate change” has been published. This report is a valuable resource for professionals and decision-makers that delves into the implications of climate change in small hydropower (SHP) operations and development.
SHP relies mainly on runoff availability, which is directly influenced by temperature and precipitation patterns, and small changes in climate conditions can lead to relatively significant percentage changes in electricity generation and, in the long run, have significant implications for the productive capabilities of SHP plants.
This report offers an overview of what the future projections of hydropower potential are in different regions, a sneak peek into adaptation measures to bolster the resilience of SHP, and actionable recommendations to decision-makers.
For the national planning and regulatory bodies:
- Climate-conscious policies: ensure consideration of climate change for the construction and operations of SHP plants.
- Hydrological models: foster the development of hydrological models for various climate scenarios reflecting local conditions.
- Holistic adaptation plans: plan sectoral adaptation responses for watersheds.
- Incentive frameworks: incentivise SHP development and reward SHP projects adequately in the evolving energy markets.
For SHP developers, owners and operators:
- Climate risk assessment: undertake an assessment even if the project shows low risks to climate change impacts,
- Boost resilience: explore measures to enhance the infrastructure’s resilience during SHP plant design and refurbishment.
- Explore additional storage: consider additional regulating reservoirs, reservoir-based SHP plants and energy storage technologies such as lithium-ion batteries for added flexibility.
- Strategic site selection: consider locations less vulnerable to extreme weather impacts, bolstered by insurance policies and early warning systems.
- Disclosure for better finance: enhance climate-related information disclosure, covering GHG emissions and climate risks, to access climate finance.
The publication “Small Hydropower and Climate Change” can be found here.