To dam or not to dam : a case study of conflict surrounding the Collinsville Dams and implications for the future
(2014) In Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science MESM01 20141LUCSUS (Lund University Centre for Sustainability Studies)
- Abstract
- Hydroelectric power is a controversial renewable energy. Adding more renewables to the energy mix is becoming more critical with the onslaught of climate change, while river health and water quality remain a highly pertinent environmental issue. Balancing the need for local renewable energy and environmental concerns is the topic of many cases. This thesis analyzes a case of conflict surrounding the debate of the Collinsville Dams on the Farmington River, which exemplify hurtles in developing a run-of-river hydropower project. Many factors are involved in the process, and the need to look at hydropower projects on existing dam sites is of concern in New England as many dams are up for relicensing. Stakeholders for the Collinsville Dams are... (More)
- Hydroelectric power is a controversial renewable energy. Adding more renewables to the energy mix is becoming more critical with the onslaught of climate change, while river health and water quality remain a highly pertinent environmental issue. Balancing the need for local renewable energy and environmental concerns is the topic of many cases. This thesis analyzes a case of conflict surrounding the debate of the Collinsville Dams on the Farmington River, which exemplify hurtles in developing a run-of-river hydropower project. Many factors are involved in the process, and the need to look at hydropower projects on existing dam sites is of concern in New England as many dams are up for relicensing. Stakeholders for the Collinsville Dams are interviewed and the perceptions and findings regarding the complexity and hurtles to the project are displayed. If a sustainability science method was utilized for diverse stakeholders to come to an agreement to benefit both the river and the need for renewable energy, future reconciliation of energy, environment, and society may be better addressed. Sustainability science could prove a solution for optimizing the renewable energy benefit of run-of-river hydropower alongside of protecting a watershed and minimizing the impacts. The power relations and lack of transparency among the town, the State Renewable Energy goals, as well as various stakeholders in this case of conflict will be looked into for a greater understanding on the Collinsville Dams. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/4449132
- author
- Hart, Laura LU
- supervisor
-
- Ann Ã…kerman LU
- organization
- course
- MESM01 20141
- year
- 2014
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Farmington River, Collinsville Dams, run-of-river hydropower, local renewable energy, sustainability science
- publication/series
- Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science
- report number
- 2014:002
- language
- English
- id
- 4449132
- date added to LUP
- 2014-05-27 16:23:04
- date last changed
- 2014-05-27 16:23:04
@misc{4449132, abstract = {{Hydroelectric power is a controversial renewable energy. Adding more renewables to the energy mix is becoming more critical with the onslaught of climate change, while river health and water quality remain a highly pertinent environmental issue. Balancing the need for local renewable energy and environmental concerns is the topic of many cases. This thesis analyzes a case of conflict surrounding the debate of the Collinsville Dams on the Farmington River, which exemplify hurtles in developing a run-of-river hydropower project. Many factors are involved in the process, and the need to look at hydropower projects on existing dam sites is of concern in New England as many dams are up for relicensing. Stakeholders for the Collinsville Dams are interviewed and the perceptions and findings regarding the complexity and hurtles to the project are displayed. If a sustainability science method was utilized for diverse stakeholders to come to an agreement to benefit both the river and the need for renewable energy, future reconciliation of energy, environment, and society may be better addressed. Sustainability science could prove a solution for optimizing the renewable energy benefit of run-of-river hydropower alongside of protecting a watershed and minimizing the impacts. The power relations and lack of transparency among the town, the State Renewable Energy goals, as well as various stakeholders in this case of conflict will be looked into for a greater understanding on the Collinsville Dams.}}, author = {{Hart, Laura}}, language = {{eng}}, note = {{Student Paper}}, series = {{Master Thesis Series in Environmental Studies and Sustainability Science}}, title = {{To dam or not to dam : a case study of conflict surrounding the Collinsville Dams and implications for the future}}, year = {{2014}}, }