A Cost-Benefit Analysis of Bakhtiari Hydropower Dam Considering the Nexus between Energy and Water

Sanaz Tajziehchi, Abdolreza Karbassi, Gholamreza Nabi, ChangKyoo Yoo and Pouya Ifaei
Additional contact information
Sanaz Tajziehchi: Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran P.O. Box 14155-6135, Iran
Abdolreza Karbassi: Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran P.O. Box 14155-6135, Iran
Gholamreza Nabi: Department of Environmental Engineering, School of Environment, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran P.O. Box 14155-6135, Iran
ChangKyoo Yoo: Integrated Engineering, Deptartment of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Pouya Ifaei: Integrated Engineering, Deptartment of Environmental Science and Engineering, College of Engineering, Kyung Hee University, 1732 Deogyeong-daero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si 17104, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: Hydropower stations have supplied most of the green electricity in various parts of the world. Nonetheless, the economic profit of hydro-electricity lies beyond its social costs in many cases. Despite the short-term economic benefits of large dams, their sustainable pros and cons are doubted. This study aims to investigate the long-term profitability of large hydropower stations by considering the nexus between the environmental, economic, and social aspects. Much progress has been made in simplifying feasibility studies of hydropower stations by developing comprehensive software and models according to the United Nations Sustainable development goals. Developed by International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the SimPacts has become one of the most frequently-used simple models to estimate the external costs of electricity generation since 2003. Hydropower’s Environmental Costs Analysis Model (HECAM) is a popular user-friendly version of the model that includes more details for benefits estimation. In the present investigation, sedimentation and evaporation effects of constructing hydropower dams are added to previous cost estimation factors to upgrade the HECAM model to HECAM II. Bakhtiari hydropower dam (located in Lorestan province in Iran) is employed as a case study to verify the new model. The results showed that the total cost and revenue, as well as the benefit to cost ratio, were 79.13 US$/MWh, 203 US$/MWh, and 2.57, respectively. The new HECAM II model showed that the operation of Bakhtiari Dam would alleviate the socio-environmental doubts through a long-term plan in the region.

Keywords: Bakhtiari Dam; environmental impact assessment; hydro project; social-economic feasibility; water-energy-food nexus (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/3/871/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/3/871/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:3:p:871-:d:733552

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().