WWF Dams Initiative Improving Outcomes by Comprehensive and Integrated Water and Energy Planning

Transcription

1 WWF Dams Initiative Improving Outcomes by Comprehensive and Integrated Water and Energy Planning Dr. Jian-hua Meng WWF Dams Initiative 1

2 Why is WWF concerned with this? Increase of incentives to the development of hydropower globally Growing pressure and impacts of water allocation agriculture food / biofuels, cooling water for energy production, urban demand, industry, etc. Both non-consumptive and consumptive use with significant impacts: economicaly, social and environmental Contributing to massive losses in freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem services 2

3 Why is WWF concerned with this? losses in freshwater biodiversity and ecosystem services foods production drinking water supply irrigation water supply sewage treatment economic goods floodplain storage river delta protection... human livelyhoods 3

4 Why is WWF concerned with this? Hydropower is powerful as a renewable energy as a potentially sustainable energy as a threat to freshwater ecosystems 4 photo: TNC / U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

5 ... towards sustainable hydropower WWF committed to an expansion of sustainable hydropower Estimate: 400 GW globally by 2050 Definition of sustainability includes appropriate and comprehensive planning to determine energy needs and identify best options 5

6 Sustainability Principles Hydropower projects should be authorized, financed and built only if they don t destroy critical natural assets, and a representative sample of free-flowing rivers and their ecosystem services is maintained, credible information is publicly available to demonstrate that they are the best option, and that the best possible locations, designs and operating rules have been chosen, all parts of society, including downstream users of ecosystem services, are better of with than without the project. 6

7 Hydropower planning and development best outcome? 7 Source: TNC

8 Basin approach for hydropower planning An Introduction to basin approach for Hydropower Planning 8

9 Hydropower Plan Conservation Plan Headwater habitat Spawning habitat Floodplain fishery Existing dam Proposed dam Priority conservation river segment / High Conservation Value Area Source: TNC 9

10 Lack of integrated planning Projects in areas of conservation concern carry a heavy mitigation load Dam operations constrained by environmental flow regime Source: TNC 10

11 Cross-compare Scenarios Hydropower Plan Conservation Plan Existing dam Proposed dam Priority conservation river segment / High Conservation Value Area Source: TNC 11

12 Cross-compare Scenarios Locate additional dams on already developed segment and eliminate conflicting dam Locate areas of conflict Existing dam Proposed dam Priority conservation river segment Operations of total cascade is less constrained by environmental flow requirements Modify downstream dam operations to reregulate flows to improve flow regime in flood-plain conservation area Locate alternative conservation segment with similar ecosystem values Evaluate Results: -Similar ecosystem values? -Similar hydropower outputs? Source: TNC 12

13 Penobscot River Restoration The Nature Conservancy Energy Medway Dam (expanded) Piscataquis River Howland Penobscot River Fisheries West Enfield Dam Existing Fish Passage West Enfield Dam Howland Dam Decommission / Innovative Fish Bypass Penobscot River Milford Dam Stillwater Dam (expanded) Orono Dam (added) Indian Island Stillwater River Old Town Orono Milford Dam New Upstream Fish Passage Great Works Dam Decommission / Removal Veazie Dam Decommission / Removal 0 Ellsworth Dam (Union River) Bangor Penobscot River 13

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15 Penobscot River Restoration Annual energy generation Proportion of basin accessible to migratory fish Annual shad run Scenario A (before) ~ 300,000 MWh Minimal Near zero Scenario B (after) ~ 300,000 MWh Majority of basin 1.5 million 15

16 Advantages of Basin Approach For society: Allocation of water resources to highest-value use - irrigation - industrial - urban consumption - energy production and - ecosystem goods and services 16

17 Advantages of Basin Approach For individual hydropower investor, banks and operators: Early identification and avoidance of potential risks such as: - market risks from other energy sources or demand management strategies; - hydrological risks from increased water demand and abstractions upstream of the site; - operational constraints from downstream water uses; - delays in implementation due to complex permitting procedures, reluctance on the part of financing institutions, - conflicts with local stakeholders reputational risk 17

18 Environmental Flows and Water infrastructure An Introduction to basin approach for Hydropower Planning 18

19 Environmental Flows 19

20 Environmental Flows Flow is the 'master variable' 20 Richter, TNC

21 Environmental Flows Richter, TNC Hydrograph 21

22 Environmental Flows Richter, TNC 22

23 Environmental Flows Richter, TNC river flow regime 23

24 Environmental Flows Environmental flows describe the quantity, timing, and quality of water flows required to sustain freshwater and estuarine ecosystems and the human livelihoods and well-being that depend on these ecosystems. 24 Richter, TNC

25 Environmental Flows How much, and at what times, must water be released from the dam to sustain ecosystem health and services? 25 Richter, TNC

26 Environmental Flows 26 Richter, TNC

27 Environmental Flows A) RIVER FLOWING THROUGH A CONSERVATION AREA B) RIVER FLOWING THROUGH AN URBAN AREA F L O W Natural flows Environmental flows F L O W Natural flows Environmental flows ONE YEAR ONE YEAR 27 Richter, TNC

28 Environmental Flows Operation Scheme for Savannah River Richter, TNC 28

29 Environmental Flows Operation Scheme for Savannah River Richter, TNC 29

30 Environmental Flow Assessment WWF and UNESCO-IHE Guide to E-Flows Assessment and Effective Decision Making 30

31 Examples: Structures for Environmental Flows 31

32 Examples: Structures for Environmental Flows Intake tower for level-specific water withdrawl 32

33 Examples: Structures for Environmental Flows Intake tower for level-specific water withdrawl 33

34 Are your plans sustainable? How to check... 34

35 towards sustainable hydropower Objective to establish a broadly endorsed sustainability assessment tool 2004 IHA Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum to measure and to guide performance in the hydropower sector, based on the IHA Sustainability Assessment Protocol

36 towards sustainable hydropower Members Developing countries China, Zambia Developed countries Norway, Iceland, Germany Environmental aspects TNC, WWF Social Aspects Oxfam, Transparency International Economic / Financing Equator Principles Financial Institutions Group World Bank Hydro Sector IHA IHA Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum Objective to establish a broadly endorsed sustainability assessment tool to measure and to guide performance in the hydropower sector, based on the IHA Sustainability Assessment Protocol. 36

37 towards sustainable hydropower Protocol Sections: Sec I Sec II Sec III Sec IV Project Stages: Strategic Assessments Project Preparation Project Implementation Project Operation Decision Points at the end of each project Stage: Commence hydropower project preparation Award of construction contracts Project commissioning 37

38 towards sustainable hydropower... a lot more on this tomorrow! 38

39 Improving Outcomes Mekong example: Lower Mekong 30 GW potential 1.6 GW developed Yunnan Province 23 GW potential 3 GW developed WWF approach: Comprehensive needs and options assessments, early identification of alternatives Consensus building with MRC, ADB, national governments and other stakeholders on - go and no-go areas - operating procedures - mitigation measures ECSHD endorsed by MRC Secretariat and Council Assessment excercise in subbasin Currently full SEA for lower Mekong 39 region

40 Improving Outcomes by comprehensive and integrated water and energy planning Mekong example: Lower Mekong 30 GW potential 1.6 GW developed Yunnan Province 23 GW potential 3 GW developed WWF approach: Comprehensive needs and options assessments, early identification of alternatives Consensus building with MRC, ADB, national governments and other stakeholders on - go and no-go areas - operating procedures - mitigation measures ECSHD endorsed by MRC Secretariat and Council Assessment excercise in subbasin Currently full SEA for lower Mekong 40 region

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42 The six types of High Conservation Value areas High Conservation Value areas are critical areas in a landscape which need to be appropriately managed in order to maintain or enhance High Conservation Values. There are six main types of HCV areas, based on the definition originally developed by the Forest Stewardship Council for certification of forest ecosystems, but now increasingly expanded to apply to assessments of other ecosystems. The six types of HCV areas are listed below, with an example for each. You can click on each HCV to see the extended definition which has been developed specifically for the High Conservation Value Forests (HCVF) Global Toolkit: HCV1. Areas containing globally, regionally or nationally significant concentrations of biodiversity values (e.g. endemism, endangered species, refugia). For example, the presence of several globally threatened bird species within a Kenyan montane forest. HCV2. Globally, regionally or nationally significant large landscape-level areas where viable populations of most if not all naturally occurring species exist in natural patterns of distribution and abundance. For example, a large tract of Mesoamerican flooded grasslands and gallery forests with healthy populations of Hyacinth Macaw, Jaguar, Maned Wolf, and Giant Otter, as well as most smaller species. HCV3. Areas that are in or contain rare, threatened or endangered ecosystems. For example, patches of a regionally rare type of freshwater swamp in an Australian coastal district. HCV4. Areas that provide basic ecosystem services in critical situations (e.g. watershed protection, erosion control). For example, forest on steep slopes with avalanche risk above a town in the European Alps. HCV5. Areas fundamental to meeting basic needs of local communities (e.g. subsistence, health). For example, key hunting or foraging areas for communities living at subsistence level in a Cambodian lowland forest mosaic. HCV6. Areas critical to local communities traditional cultural identity (areas of cultural, ecological, economic or religious significance identified in cooperation with such local communities). For example, sacred burial grounds within a forest management area in Canada. 42