How green can Amazon hydropower be? Net carbon emission from the largest hydropower plant in Amazonia

Author(s)

Bertassoli, Jr., Dailson J. ^{[1, 2]} ; Sawakuchi, Henrique O. ^[3] ; de Araujo, Kleiton R. ^[4] ; de Camargo, Marcelo G. P. ^[1] ; Alem, Victor A. T. ^[1] ; Pereira, Tatiana S. ^[4] ; Krusche, V, Alex ; Bastviken, David ^[3] ; Richey, Jeffrey E. ^{[5, 6]} ; Sawakuchi, Andre O. ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Geosci, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Sch Arts Sci & Humanities, Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Linkoping Univ, Dept Themat Studies Environm Change, Linkoping - Sweden

^[4] Fed Univ Para, Fac Biol Sci, Altamira, Para - Brazil

^[5] Univ Washington, Sch Oceanog, Seattle, WA 98195 - USA

^[6] Krusche, Alex, V, Univ Sao Paulo, Ctr Nucl Energy Agr, Piracicaba, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: SCIENCE ADVANCES; v. 7, n. 26 JUN 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

The current resurgence of hydropower expansion toward tropical areas has been largely based on run-of-the-river (ROR) dams, which are claimed to have lower environmental impacts due to their smaller reservoirs. The Belo Monte dam was built in Eastern Amazonia and holds the largest installed capacity among ROR power plants worldwide. Here, we show that postdamming greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the Belo Monte area are up to three times higher than preimpoundment fluxes and equivalent to about 15 to 55 kg CO(2)eq MWh(-1). Since per-area emissions in Amazonian reservoirs are significantly higher than global averages, reducing flooded areas and prioritizing the power density of hydropower plants seem to effectively reduce their carbon footprints. Nevertheless, total GHG emissions are substantial even from this leading-edge ROR power plant. This argues in favor of avoiding hydropower expansion in Amazonia regardless of the reservoir type. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 19/24977-0 - Environmental signals recorded in modern sediments of tropical South American rivers
• Grantee: Dailson José Bertassoli Junior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 18/18491-4 - Biogeochemical blindspots along the lower Amazon River continuum: from land to the atmosphere and ocean
• Grantee: Jeffrey Edward Richey
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - SPEC Program
• FAPESP's process: 16/02656-9 - The response of sedimentary dynamics of the Xingu and Tapajós rivers to climate changes and hydropower dams: risks for biodiversity conservation and energy production in Amazonia
• Grantee: André Oliveira Sawakuchi
• Support Opportunities: Research Program on Global Climate Change - Regular Grants
• FAPESP's process: 19/24349-9 - Assessing the effects of past and future climate change on Amazonian biodiversity (CLAMBIO)
• Grantee: Cristiano Mazur Chiessi
• Support Opportunities: BIOTA-FAPESP Program - Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 11/14502-2 - Regulating factors of methane (CH4) emission in depositional environments of the Rivers Negro, Tapajos, Xingu and Amazonas
• Grantee: Henrique Oliveira Sawakuchi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• FAPESP's process: 14/21564-2 - Biogeochemistry of the lower Amazon
• Grantee: Henrique Oliveira Sawakuchi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 15/09187-1 - Characterization of whole river suspended proteins and the quantification of target proteins involved in methane cycle
• Grantee: Henrique Oliveira Sawakuchi
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Post-doctor
• FAPESP's process: 18/15123-4 - Past perspectives on tipping elements of the climate system: the Amazon Rainforest and the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (PPTEAM)
• Grantee: Cristiano Mazur Chiessi
• Support Opportunities: Research Grants - Research Program on Global Climate Change - Young Investigators - Phase 2
• FAPESP's process: 16/11141-2 - Hydrologic variability and sediment supply of the Xingu and Tapajós rivers: climate change and anthropogenic impacts in eastern Amazon rivers during Holocene
• Grantee: Dailson José Bertassoli Junior
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate