Improving hydropower choices via an online and open access tool

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Energy Policy
• Climate Change Analysis

Background:

• Limited public access to hydropower feasibility data hinders informed energy policy discussions.
• Project developers traditionally control information on hydropower's financial and environmental impacts.
• Assessing greenhouse gas emissions is crucial for evaluating hydropower's environmental footprint.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe and validate the HydroCalculator Tool for assessing hydropower feasibility.
• To enable researchers, policymakers, and citizens to evaluate financial indicators and greenhouse gas emissions.
• To facilitate informed public debate on electric energy options by increasing data accessibility.

Main Methods:

• The HydroCalculator Tool was developed to calculate financial indicators (Levelized Cost of Energy) and greenhouse gas emissions.
• Economic Net Present Value, including emissions costs, is a key output of the tool.
• Validation involved replicating greenhouse gas emission calculations from two peer-reviewed studies on Amazonian hydropower plants.

Main Results:

• The HydroCalculator Tool's greenhouse gas emission estimates closely matched those from peer-reviewed articles.
• Hydropower plants can generate significant greenhouse gas emissions.
• In some instances, hydropower emissions exceeded those of alternative electricity sources.

Conclusions:

• The HydroCalculator Tool provides a validated method for assessing hydropower feasibility, including environmental impacts.
• Increased data accessibility through the tool can empower public discourse on energy choices.
• The findings underscore the importance of considering greenhouse gas emissions in hydropower assessments.