Climate Change and Increased Irrigation Demands: What Is Left for Hydropower Generation? Results from Two Semi-Arid Basins

Tor Haakon Bakken, Christian Almestad, Jørgen Melhuus Rugelbak, Marisa Escobar, Steven Micko and Knut Alfredsen
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Tor Haakon Bakken: Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), S.P. Andersens veg 5, Trondheim NO-7491, Norway
Christian Almestad: Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), S.P. Andersens veg 5, Trondheim NO-7491, Norway
Jørgen Melhuus Rugelbak: Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), S.P. Andersens veg 5, Trondheim NO-7491, Norway
Marisa Escobar: Stockholm Environment Institute (SEI), Davis, CA 95616, USA
Steven Micko: SINTEF Energy Research, Sem Sælands vei 11, Trondheim NO-7465, Norway
Knut Alfredsen: Department of Hydraulic and Environmental Engineering, Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU), S.P. Andersens veg 5, Trondheim NO-7491, Norway

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-19

Abstract: In this study, we have modelled the effect of climate change and increased irrigation withdrawals on the available water for hydropower production in two semi-arid river basins, i.e. , Kizilirmak (Turkey) and Devoll (Albania), and the role of the reservoirs. The combined effect of climate change and extended irrigation withdrawals will overall lead to reduced runoff in the rivers, according to our simulations. The changes will be most dramatic at Kizilirmak, reducing the water available for hydropower production. The presence of the reservoirs will lead to extended water use/losses due to the provision of regulated flow, enabling larger irrigation withdrawals and increasing the evaporative losses from the reservoir surfaces. Comparing the water consumption losses at Kizilirmak, the irrigation losses are in the range of 2–4 times larger than the gross evaporation losses from reservoir surfaces. The reservoirs at Devoll will improve water availability for hydropower production during low flow periods, and the upstream irrigation represents presently a low risk to the downstream power producers. As the results are sensitive to specific river basin characteristics and the assumptions made, the results cannot be generalized to other river basins without taking these specifics into consideration.

Keywords: water availability; hydropower production; reservoirs; climate change; runoff; irrigation (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: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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