Reducing greenhouse gas emissions of Amazon hydropower with strategic dam planning

Rafael M. Almeida (), Qinru Shi, Jonathan M. Gomes-Selman, Xiaojian Wu, Yexiang Xue, Hector Angarita, Nathan Barros, Bruce R. Forsberg, Roosevelt García-Villacorta, Stephen K. Hamilton, John M. Melack, Mariana Montoya, Guillaume Perez, Suresh A. Sethi, Carla P. Gomes () and Alexander S. Flecker ()
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Rafael M. Almeida: Cornell University
Qinru Shi: Cornell University, Institute for Computational Sustainability
Jonathan M. Gomes-Selman: Stanford University
Xiaojian Wu: Cornell University, Institute for Computational Sustainability
Yexiang Xue: Cornell University, Institute for Computational Sustainability
Hector Angarita: Stockholm Environment Institute Latin America
Nathan Barros: Federal University of Juiz de Fora
Bruce R. Forsberg: National Institute of Amazonian Research (INPA)
Roosevelt García-Villacorta: Cornell University
Stephen K. Hamilton: Michigan State University
John M. Melack: University of California at Santa Barbara
Mariana Montoya: Wildlife Conservation Society Peru
Guillaume Perez: Cornell University, Institute for Computational Sustainability
Suresh A. Sethi: Cornell University
Carla P. Gomes: Cornell University, Institute for Computational Sustainability
Alexander S. Flecker: Cornell University

Nature Communications, 2019, vol. 10, issue 1, 1-9

Abstract: Abstract Hundreds of dams have been proposed throughout the Amazon basin, one of the world’s largest untapped hydropower frontiers. While hydropower is a potentially clean source of renewable energy, some projects produce high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit electricity generated (carbon intensity). Here we show how carbon intensities of proposed Amazon upland dams (median = 39 kg CO2eq MWh−1, 100-year horizon) are often comparable with solar and wind energy, whereas some lowland dams (median = 133 kg CO2eq MWh−1) may exceed carbon intensities of fossil-fuel power plants. Based on 158 existing and 351 proposed dams, we present a multi-objective optimization framework showing that low-carbon expansion of Amazon hydropower relies on strategic planning, which is generally linked to placing dams in higher elevations and smaller streams. Ultimately, basin-scale dam planning that considers GHG emissions along with social and ecological externalities will be decisive for sustainable energy development where new hydropower is contemplated.

Date: 2019
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-019-12179-5

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