Potentially conflicting interests between Hydropower and the European Unions Water Framework Directive
(2010) In TVVR10/5013 VVR820 20101Division of Water Resources Engineering
Environmental Engineering (M.Sc.Eng.)
- Abstract
- Many of the water bodies in Europe are in bad ecological condition due to anthropologic impacts. Pollution and morphological changes have had a severe impact of the water environment and flora and fauna associated with such environments. The fact that water courses often cross administrative borders within countries as well as internationally makes the water management that much more difficult.
The water framework directive (WFD) is an EU directive created in order to protect and improve the water status of the water bodies within the member state countries. Since hydropower production is one activity that has negative environmental impact on the water courses, the regulation imposed by the WFD will have consequences for the hydropower... (More) - Many of the water bodies in Europe are in bad ecological condition due to anthropologic impacts. Pollution and morphological changes have had a severe impact of the water environment and flora and fauna associated with such environments. The fact that water courses often cross administrative borders within countries as well as internationally makes the water management that much more difficult.
The water framework directive (WFD) is an EU directive created in order to protect and improve the water status of the water bodies within the member state countries. Since hydropower production is one activity that has negative environmental impact on the water courses, the regulation imposed by the WFD will have consequences for the hydropower industry. Hydropower causes fragmentation of the water course and an altered hydro regime, which seriously impacts the environment.
Although hydropower has major negative environmental impacts, it provides Europe with 70% of its renewable energy. 10 % of all the electricity is generated from hydropower, which is by far the most important renewable source. Since hydropower is such an important source of renewable electricity and the fact that hydropower has the important ability to store energy, makes it inevitable in the European energy mix even though it causes serious environmental impacts.
Possible conflicts arise between producing renewable electricity from hydropower and conserving the water courses. The WFD provides tools in order to solve the conflicts and to ensure good ecological status in the water bodies. The hydropower industry is concerned about the increased costs of e.g. providing mitigation measures at the hydropower installations and issues regarding the residual flow.
Sweden is not planning any new HP installations and the view towards HP development is rather negative. Austria and Scotland plan a future expansion of the HP industry, although in the case of Scotland mainly a development of small-sale hydropower.
Is appears that it is possible to carefully develop HP, with sufficient mitigation measures in place, without conflicting with the objectives of the WFD. It is unlikely that small-scale HP will play a prominent role in reaching the renewable energy targets on a European level. But small-scale HP can, however, play a role at locations where large-scale HP is not suitable. (Less)
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http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/1680111
- author
- Melin, Linn LU
- supervisor
-
- Rolf Larsson LU
- organization
- course
- VVR820 20101
- year
- 2010
- type
- H3 - Professional qualifications (4 Years - )
- subject
- keywords
- Environmental impacts, Gössendorf-Karlsdorf, Glendoe, Vojmån, Water Framework Directive, Hydropower, WFD, small-scale hydropower, Sweden, Scotland, Austria
- publication/series
- TVVR10/5013
- report number
- 10/5013
- ISSN
- 1101-9824
- language
- English
- additional info
- Examiner: Ronny Berndtsson
- id
- 1680111
- date added to LUP
- 2010-09-22 08:15:08
- date last changed
- 2019-03-27 11:42:20
@misc{1680111,
abstract = {{Many of the water bodies in Europe are in bad ecological condition due to anthropologic impacts. Pollution and morphological changes have had a severe impact of the water environment and flora and fauna associated with such environments. The fact that water courses often cross administrative borders within countries as well as internationally makes the water management that much more difficult.
The water framework directive (WFD) is an EU directive created in order to protect and improve the water status of the water bodies within the member state countries. Since hydropower production is one activity that has negative environmental impact on the water courses, the regulation imposed by the WFD will have consequences for the hydropower industry. Hydropower causes fragmentation of the water course and an altered hydro regime, which seriously impacts the environment.
Although hydropower has major negative environmental impacts, it provides Europe with 70% of its renewable energy. 10 % of all the electricity is generated from hydropower, which is by far the most important renewable source. Since hydropower is such an important source of renewable electricity and the fact that hydropower has the important ability to store energy, makes it inevitable in the European energy mix even though it causes serious environmental impacts.
Possible conflicts arise between producing renewable electricity from hydropower and conserving the water courses. The WFD provides tools in order to solve the conflicts and to ensure good ecological status in the water bodies. The hydropower industry is concerned about the increased costs of e.g. providing mitigation measures at the hydropower installations and issues regarding the residual flow.
Sweden is not planning any new HP installations and the view towards HP development is rather negative. Austria and Scotland plan a future expansion of the HP industry, although in the case of Scotland mainly a development of small-sale hydropower.
Is appears that it is possible to carefully develop HP, with sufficient mitigation measures in place, without conflicting with the objectives of the WFD. It is unlikely that small-scale HP will play a prominent role in reaching the renewable energy targets on a European level. But small-scale HP can, however, play a role at locations where large-scale HP is not suitable.}},
author = {{Melin, Linn}},
issn = {{1101-9824}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
series = {{TVVR10/5013}},
title = {{Potentially conflicting interests between Hydropower and the European Unions Water Framework Directive}},
year = {{2010}},
}