1. A state-of-the-art review of greenhouse gas emissions from Indian hydropower reservoirs.
- Author
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Kumar, Amit, Yu, Zhi-Guo, Klemeš, Jiří Jaromír, and Bokhari, Awais
- Subjects
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WATER power , *RENEWABLE energy sources , *ENVIRONMENTAL risk , *GREENHOUSE gases , *DAM design & construction , *ELECTRIC power production - Abstract
Hydropower is one of the widely used renewable energy sources and contributing a huge share in overall electricity generation in developing countries like India. A few decades ago, hydropower reservoirs were found to be a clean source of renewable energy, but after the pre-industrial era (1990s), these reservoirs were emitting a significant amount of greenhouse gases (GHG). The GHG are contributing a huge share to the regional/global carbon budget. The current study represents the first regional review and focuses on: present scenarios of Indian hydropower, environmental issues, constraints in dam construction, identified key predictors (i.e., age, depth of reservoir) impacting GHG potential, GHG risk to reservoirs, and suggested mitigation measures to the way forward for the sustainable planning of hydropower development. The review reveals that most Indian hydropower reservoirs are coming under the low to medium GHG risk of reservoirs. Small hydropower projects (SHPs) are deliberated as a worthy alternative for the sustainable management of hydropower projects. There are still many issues associated with SHPs, which cannot be neglected completely. This study provides baseline information to the hydropower industries, policy-makers, environmentalists, and water managers to take corrective measures before impoundment of a reservoir at the regional and global scale. [Display omitted] • This is the first review summarises GHG emission from Indian Hydropower. • Indian hydropower are coming under the low to medium GHG risk of reservoirs. • Small hydro is deliberated as a worthy alternative for the sustainable management of hydropower projects. • Research is urgently needed in tropical eco-regions to know the GHG risk to reservoirs. • Proposed mitigation strategies for carbon deduction in future dam constructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2021
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