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AN: 147776058
Title: The future of hydropower? A systematic review of the drivers, benefits and
governance dynamics of transboundary dams.
PublicationDate: 20210301
Contributors: Llamosas, Cecilia; Sovacool, Benjamin K.;
DocTypes: Article;
PubTypes:
CoverDate: Mar2021
PeerReviewed: true
Source: Renewable & Sustainable Energy Reviews
IsiType: JOUR
DOIDS: ;
ISBNS: ;
ISSNS: 1364-0321;
PublisherLocations: ;
RecordType: ARTICLES
BookEdition:
Publisher: Elsevier B.V.
PageStart: N.PAG
PageEnd: N.PAG
PageCount:
Volume: 137
Issue:
Abstract: Transboundary hydropower dams are sources of hydroelectricity supply
that sit in shared international rivers or watersheds, and/or generate benefits and
costs that flow across national borders. Scholars have been exploring the impacts of
hydropower dams at a local, regional and national scale for decades, however the
transboundary impacts of hydropower ventures have been less studied. Nonetheless,
the advent of a new hydropower boom, where a large proportion of untapped
hydropower potential lies in transboundary settings, means that there is a need to
better understand the specific benefits and costs in those contexts to foster more
equitable and just outcomes, and to better examine the dynamics shaping the
future of hydroelectricity. To depict the state-of-the-art within this critical field of
research, we conduct a systematic review of 1264 peer-reviewed articles published
on transboundary hydropower dams from 2009 to 2019. We find that most studies
in our sample focus on issues related to water management and water allocation,
whereas fewer focus on the scope of hydropower benefits, their temporal and
spatial variation, and equity and justice dimensions. Moreover, there is minimal
exploration of how differences in relative economic and financial capabilities can
impact the distribution of transboundary hydropower benefits. Whether transboundary
hydropower dams lead to optimal outcomes is highly dependent on underlying
benefit sharing arrangements as well as an explicit acknowledgement and tackling
of governance asymmetries. The study concludes that there is an urgent need to
systematically assess these conditions to favour just outcomes for all stakeholders. •
Transboundary hydropower configurations are central to the future of global energy
supply. • Conducts a systematic review of 1,264 studies in the literature to identify
key trends. • Offers a conceptualisation of transboundary dams based on notions of
shared resources and networked regional infrastructure. • Identifies 90 dams across
four continents in the sample and reveals factors that shape cooperation in a variety
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of settings. • Suggests a need for more comparative studies and increased attention
to factors influencing equitable energy outcomes.
DOI: 10.1016/j.rser.2020.110495
Language: eng
Subjects: WATER power; POWER resources; COMMUNICATION infrastructure;
ENERGY futures; Hydroelectric Power Generation;
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b89e-d90dd7d70ada