Hydropower projects in many countries continue to ride on the politically endorsed wave of “renewable” energy promotion, despite their implications. While the use of water’s kinetic energy is renewable in terms of the general hydraulic cycle, climate variations and basin wide ecological degradation bring into question the reality of hydropower’s “renewable” state. It has become increasingly clear, especially in Chile, that poor planning of projects is largely due to lack of sufficient hydrological data, realistic environmental and social impact assessments, in addition to economic influences, motivating project approvals. Additionally, the exacerbation of other basin management issues, emphasized by fragmented and highly altered flow regimes, are evident. While the invasiveness of hydro is dependent on numerous factors, most notably size, awareness of its implications must be heightened beyond media rhetoric and profit motivated voices.
Investigations by Lydia Bleifuss