A sustainable future of regulated rivers and lakes? What can we learn from the revision of hydropower licenses in Norway?

Transcription

1 A sustainable future of regulated rivers and lakes? What can we learn from the revision of hydropower licenses in Norway? Berit Köhler, Audun Ruud, Øystein Aas (Norwegian Institute for Nature Research; NINA) Foto: Jens Nicolai Thom,

2 Hydropower in Norway Renewable, flexible source of energy, w/o direct climate gas emission Impairs environmental conditions, recreational use & aesthetics in in and along the watercourses & lakes ~70% of the larger Norwegian watercourses and 50% of the country`s total water-covered area regulated Delivers currently 99% of the electricity used in Norway (130TWh/y)

3 Hydropower in Norway Norway is largest producer in Europe with ~ 25% marked share Has 50 % of whole reservoir capacity within Europe Norway as «green battery» of Europe? Produces ~ 1/6 of the power globally 3 existing interconnector lines; 2 more in 2021

4 Revision of hydropower licenses Licenses >50 years can be revised 430 licences can come up for revision of terms in Norway before 2022 change in environmental flow requirements & reservoir regulations possible; not for HWL / LWL in reservoirs Principal instrument to implement the European Water Framework Directive (WFD) in Norway. Prioritizing project in 2013 (NVE)

5 Interests/concerns around HP production power production fish (salmon & Co) economy environment other biodiversity security of power supply? Photo: Geir R.Løvstad flood security Photo: Bård Haugsrud society climate friendly/ renewable cultural heritage Photo: Jørn Hagen tourism recreation & landscape aesthetics

6 Objectives for revision of licenses Directive Norw. Ministry for Petroleum & Energy (2012): Improve the environmental conditions of the regulated watercourses & weighing against PP loss Holistic assessment of all advantages/disadvantages Catchment-based approach & incorporation of WFD objectives if possible Consider existing potential production extension plans in the resp. watercourses Introduce standard terms after assessing existing values, effects of measures & costs

7 Objectives & methods Study content, methods & procedural qualities of decisionmaking Evaluate if the revision objectives were achieved Understand conflicts and trade-offs related to the sustainable use of regulated rivers & lakes Document analysis of all relevant revision and legal documents Media analysis (for local acceptance)

8 Overview over studied revisions Selbu-& Dragstlake Trondheim Tesse Lillehammer Vinstra watercourse Stavanger Årdal-& Stølsåna watercourses

9 Example: revision of Vinstra watercourse Kamfossen Kamfossen Olstappen Nedre Heimdalsvatn Øyangen Bygdin Bygdin Kaldfjorden Kaldfjorden Øyvatnet Vinsteren Vinsteren 80 km Licenses: regulation of Bygdin (1928) regulation Vinsteren and Olstappen (1948) regulation Kaldfjord (Sandvatn, Øyvatn) (1954) regulation /transfer Nedre Heimdalsvatn/Øyangen (1956)

10 Decision process revision of terms Common process (on a timeline) OED/royal decree Request placed (to NVE) Revision opened (by NVE) / rev.doc. (PC) Recommendations by NVE Final decision/new terms Public hearing

11 Results: duration of revision process 1993/ 94 / 95 / 96 / 97 / 98 / 99 / 00 / 01 / 02 / 03 / 04 / 05 / 06 / 07 / 08 / 09 / 10 / 11 / 12 / 13 / 14 / 15 / 16 Vinstra (12 years) Year Tesse (18 years) Selbu/ (15 years) Årdal (17 years)

12 Interests HP production Results: content of revision fish other biodiversity recreation/tourism aesthetics agricultural use cultural heritage water quality flood security security of supply renewable energy

13 Interests HP production fish other biodiversity recreation/tourism aesthetics agricultural use cultural heritage water quality flood security security of supply renewable energy Results: content of revision Measures reservoir regulation minimal flow rivers fish (release/habitat) erosion (reservoirs) thresholds/dams cultural heritage (survey/protection) cleaning (reservoir banks) water quality funds/payments/ concession taxes

14 Interests HP production fish other biodiversity recreation/tourism aesthetics agricultural use cultural heritage water quality flood security security of supply renewable energy Results: content of revision Measures reservoir regulation minimal flow rivers fish (release/habitat) erosion (reservoirs) thresholds/dams cultural heritage (survey/protection) cleaning (reservoir banks) water quality funds/payments/ concession taxes New terms regulation of manoeuvring: power loss standard terms (nature management; erosion; cultural heritage; water quality; cleaning; traffic; thresholds): no power loss economic compensation: no power loss

15 Results: knowledge base for decisions Interests HP production fish other biodiversity State before revision yes/valuation yes/no val. yes/no val. recreation/tourism yes/no val. aesthetics agricultural use cultural heritage water quality flood security security of supply renewable energy qualit./no val. partially/no val. partially/no val. yes/no val. yes/no val. no no

16 Results: knowledge base for decisions Interests Relationship/effect Measures HP production fish other biodiversity recreation/tourism aesthetics agricultural use cultural heritage water quality flood security security of supply renewable energy yes/valuation insufficient/no val. reservoir regulation minimal flow rivers

17 Results: content of terms with power loss Vinstra Tesse Selbu-/ Dragstlake Request of RR: Olstappen RR: Tesse interest minimal MF: all flow rivers MF: Tessa river groups sections; from (not specified) Kaldfjord 3m 3 /s RR: Selbu & Dragst MF: Selbu 1,4/3/10m 3 /s (su); Dragst 0,1m 3 /s Årdal/ Stølsåna MF: Årdal 6m 3 /s (su) 2,25m 3 /s (wi) Stølsåna 0,5-1m 3 /s (su) 0,2m 3 /s (wi) Final terms of revision RR: no MF: Kaldfjord 1-3m 3 /s (su) 0,5m 3 /s (wi) All others no RR: Tesse/yes MF: Tessa no RR: Selbu/yes Dragst/yes MF: Selbu 1,4m 3 /s (su) Dragst 0,1m 3 /s MF: Årdal 2m 3 /s (su) 1,5 (wi) Stølsåna no reservoir regulation Power loss 21,6 14,5 11,2-22, (GWh/y) % of total production (total prod. in GWh/y) 1,7 (1306) 5,2-8 ( ) RR= reservoir regulations; MF=minimal flow regulation 1,1-2,9 ( ) 1,4-2,4 ( )

18 Results: other aspects Vinstra Tesse Selbu-/ Dragstlake Introduction yes yes yes yes minimal flow rivers of standard terms Holistic assessment (catchmentbased) yes (also for concessions > 50 years) no no no Inclusion of no no no yes production (no potential) (despite (despite extension potential) potential) plans reservoir regulation Acceptance by interest groups* Årdal/ Stølsåna * after revision; on a scale from -2 (high level of rejection); -1 (low level of rejection); 0 (acceptance); +1 (low level of approval); +2 (high level approval)

19 The finished revisions show (1) Decisions er quite complex, involving interests on different scales Decision-making takes very long time, even though mostly not done for whole catchment and partially w/o including potential production extension plans More water (RR & MR) frequently not given due to insufficient knowledge burden of proof on the side of the environmental interests Power loss is not substantial, related to total production

20 The finished revisions show (2) Weighing of interests not based on the valuation of all relevant interests (only HP production) Degree of structured decision-making very low By using standard terms for nature management (without power loss) are the environmental interests not fully weighed in the same decision context unclear future costs for the concession holders optimal solutions for weighing power loss against improved environmental conditions?

21 The finished revisions show (3) Objectives of the directives for revision of terms only partially met (environmental conditions vs. PP loss; holistic assessement; catchment-based approach/ implementation of WFD; incl. power extension plans; use standard terms after assessing existing values, effects of measures & costs) Sustainability of decisions could/should be improved, taking also into account the low acceptance of these first revisions (potentially ~400 more to come until 2022)

22 22 Thank you for your attention! Questions? 22