Small hydropower nexus: debunking myths and assessing real impacts

Mohd Sharjeel Sofi and Sami Ullah Bhat ()
Additional contact information
Mohd Sharjeel Sofi: University of Kashmir
Sami Ullah Bhat: University of Kashmir

Sustainability Nexus Forum, 2025, vol. 33, issue 1, No 16, 12 pages

Abstract: Abstract Small hydropower plants (SHPs) are promoted to advance development by providing affordable, decentralized energy—particularly in rural and remote areas. With low capital and maintenance costs, long lifespans, and adaptability to local conditions, SHPs are increasingly favored in energy policies worldwide. However, their environmental impacts are often underestimated. SHPs can fragment aquatic habitats, disrupt species mobility, reduce genetic diversity, and increase the risk of local extinctions. These ecological and evolutionary consequences are rarely addressed in policy or project design, especially when cumulative effects of multiple SHPs are overlooked. Many national policies now promote SHPs through simplified regulations and private sector incentives, but often without adequate ecological safeguards. This paper emphasizes the need for a nexus approach—linking energy production, environmental health, and societal well-being—to guide SHP development. A nexus framework enables a more integrated evaluation of trade-offs and synergies between energy goals and ecosystem protection. While SHPs offer clear energy benefits, sustainability requires balancing development with ecological integrity. Embedding SHPs in a nexus-oriented planning model is vital to avoid biodiversity loss and support long-term socio-environmental resilience.

Keywords: Connectivity; Small hydropower plants; Freshwater; Renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://link.springer.com/10.1007/s00550-025-00573-1 Abstract (text/html)
Access to the full text of the articles in this series is restricted.

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:spr:sumafo:v:33:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1007_s00550-025-00573-1

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
https://www.springer ... onmental/journal/550

DOI: 10.1007/s00550-025-00573-1

Access Statistics for this article

Sustainability Nexus Forum is currently edited by Prof. Dr. Edeltraud Günther, Prof. Dr. Mario Schmidt and Prof. Dr. Uwe Schneidewind

More articles in Sustainability Nexus Forum from Springer
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Sonal Shukla () and Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing ().