Download Hydropower Refom Coaltion

Hydropower Reform Coalition
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Hydropower Reform
Coalition – Western
Caucus Meeting
Oakland, CA
March 10/11, 2008
Richard J. Bowers
Hydropower Reform Coalition
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Advocates for river protection and
restoration at individual, privatelyowned hydropower dams regulated
by the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission (FERC)
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More than 140 local, regional and
national outdoor recreation and
conservation organizations that
have effectively reduced the
footprint of hydropower dams on
rivers.
HRC Steering Committee
Alabama Rivers Alliance
Water Is Life
Presentation Overview
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Perspectives on hydropower
and watersheds
Hydropower as clean and
renewable energy source
Economics of hydropower in
a changing environment
New technologies
Hydropower in a warmer
world
Perspectives on Hydropower
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The view from a river
advocacy position
More than one million
fishermen, paddlers,
birding enthusiasts, and
environmental interests
who are concerned with,
and inspired by, rivers
What is clean energy?
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Clean energy is any energy that
causes little or no harm to the
environment. Wind energy, solar
energy (in all its forms-photovoltaic, geothermal, solar
thermal, etc.), hydrogen and fuel
cells, wave and tidal energy, and
biomass are all examples of clean
energy.
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What we’ve learned from history is
that no known energy source is
100% clean
Conventional Hydropower as
Renewable Energy
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Water is renewable,
abundant, reliable,
affordable, & sustainable
Low carbon-emissions
Potential of new
technologies
Grid support for wind,
solar, other
Hydropower Impacts on
Rivers & Watersheds
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Proven impacts on the function
and resiliency of natural systems
Fragmenting free-flowing
freshwater systems
Blocking the flow of nutrients and
sediments
Blocking fish movement
Destroying stream-side habitat
Slowing and overheating the river
upstream of the dam
Reducing flows downstream
Destruction of native fish
populations
Altering and reducing flows in
formerly wild rivers.
Economics of Dams
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Most of the sites that are environmentally and economically acceptable have
been developed
In a green economy, economic value must include the value and function that
natural environments provide free of charge.
As a mature technology, hydropower does not provide new and innovative
solutions, new investment and science, or job creation
Expected changes in the future will affect the value of hydropower
Small Hydro Projects
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When you remove the few
remaining sites for new dams
that make environmental and
economic sense, you are left
almost exclusively with small
scale hydro. Small hydro has
all of the impacts of a large
dam on a river or watershed,
with little of the economic or
power production values.
Small hydro = Small gain for
huge costs!
What we support
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Water conservation
Keeping water in river
Keeping water clean and healthy
Protecting species
Appropriately sited, operated and
mitigated hydropower
Hydropower that is supportive of
natural systems
Increased efficiency at existing
dams
Opportunities to increase
hydropower at non-power dams
Over 500 Small Hydro Projects
Proposed in British Columbia
Hydrokinetics
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Innovative hydropower
projects that use the forces
of currents, waves, and tides
to generate clean, renewable
electric energy.
Estimates are that the new
hydrokinetic technologies, if
fully developed, could double
the amount of hydropower
production in the United
States, bringing it from just
under 10% to close to 20%
of the national supply.
Hydrokinetic Questions
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Unknowns regarding the potential environmental effects of implementing new
technologies in a new operating environment.
Given that the commission is proposing a process in which license applications would
be reviewed, coordinated, and completed in the space of six months, there is a great
risk of rushing into decisions that could result in significant unintended environmental
impacts.
Potential impacts on commercial fishing, recreation and marine protection areas.
Cumulative Impacts
FERC Process for Licensing
Hydrokinetic Projects
Recommendations to Reduce
Impacts from a New Technology
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Identify appropriately sited
renewable energy facilities
Recognize and protect
sensitive species
Distinguish and avoid
potential impacts to
recreation and commercial
interests
Address cumulative impacts
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Complete state, regional and
national planning
Guarantee effective and
coordinated public and
agency involvement
Include a requirement for
project decommissioning and
removal in cases where
operation or installation
results in significant adverse
impacts
Climate Change
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Healthy Rivers are resilient – they
are more likely to cope successfully
with climate disruption.
Hydropower and healthy river
ecosystems both depend on
flowing water. It is now beyond
dispute that climate change
disruption will have physical effects
on water availability which result in
important changes to the timing,
quantity and quality of river flows.
For hydropower production, some
of the effects and policy responses
to climate disruption shift the
quantity of power produced,
others affect the value.
Hydropower in a Warmer World
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Reduced or increased quantity of power due to river flow
Shifts in seasonal generation
Flood control & spills
Conflicts with other water users
Snowpack Reduction
Increased extreme precipitation events
Increased evaporation and transpiration
Reduced Predictability
Changed water quality
Parallel Impacts
Hydropower & Climate Change
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Both destroy resiliency by
disturbing habitats and
altering the hydrological &
fluvial regimes within a
watershed
Both change the timing &
volume of flows
Both increase water
temperature
Both decrease water quality
& quantity
Both reduce fish migration
Both cause species extinction
Hydropower Economics & Potential
in a Warmer World
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Limited availability of
environmentally and
economically acceptable sites
No investment in new
technologies or job creation
Needed investment to offset
history of natural systems
impact
offsetting damage to natural
systems
Time needed to site, apply,
approve and mitigate new
dam construction
Recommendations for Hydropower
in a Warmer World
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Water conservation and
efficiency
Operate and equip existing
hydropower to protect rivers
New Hydropower – Not new
dams
Encourage non-conventional
hydropower with care
Coordinate multiple projects
on a river
Decommission and remove
hydropower dams where the
benefits are compelling
HRC Pacific Northwest Members
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Advocates for the West (ID)
Alaskan Center for the Environment (AK)
Alaskan Fly fishers (AK)
Alder Creek Canoe & Kayak (OR)
American Rivers
American Whitewater
Bear River Watershed Council (ID)
Cascadia Wildlands Project (OR)
Center for Justice (WA)
Columbia Riverkeeper (WA)
Conservation Northwest (WA)
Federation of Fly Fishers (MT)
Fish for Cooper Creek Coalition (AK)
Friends of Living Oregon Waters (OR)
Gifford Pinchot Task Force (OR)
Greater Yellowstone Coalition (MT)
Hells Canyon Preservation Council (OR)
Idaho Rivers United (ID)
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Idaho Whitewater Association (ID)
Montana River Action Network (MT)
North Umpqua Foundation (OR)
NW Resources Information Center (ID)
Oregon Trout (OR)
Oregon Wild (OR)
Selkirk Conservation Alliance (ID)
Steelhead Trout Club of Washington (WA)
The Lands Council (WA)
The Mountaineers (WA)
The Steamboaters (OR)
Trout Unlimited
Umpqua Valley Audubon Society (OR)
Umpqua Watersheds (OR)
Utah Rivers Council (UT)
Washington Kayak Club (WA)
Water Watch of Oregon (OR)
www.hydroreform.org