Sustainable Hydropower
Richard Taylor and Andrew Scanlon
Guidelines, Good Practice and Certification
• Non-governmental mutual association of organizations and professionals working or studying in the hydropower sector.
• Founded in 1995, under the auspices of UNESCO, to advance knowledge on all aspects of hydropower and to promote good practice.
• Current membership: 1100 Individual and 94 Corporate members, from 83 countries.
• Main objective:
“Advancing Sustainable Hydropower”
International Hydropower Association (IHA)Who are we?
International Hydropower Association (IHA)
Advancing hydropower’s role in meeting the world’s water and energy needs by:
• Championing continuous improvement and sustainable practices
• Building consensus through strong partnerships with other stakeholders
• Driving initiatives to increase the contribution of renewables.
Advancing sustainable hydropower
Vision statement
Sustainability InitiativesThe International Hydropower Association is establishing sustainability standards for the industry.
Initiatives include:
• Sustainability Guidelines,• Compliance Protocol (3 volumes), • Blue Planet Prize• Sustainable Hydropower website, and• a proposed Certification Scheme.
Advancing sustainable hydropower
Sustainability Guidelines
Compliance Protocol
Sustainable Hydro Website
Blue Planet Prize Certification
Context
Hydropower:• currently delivers 91.7% of the world's renewable electricity (World Statistics, EC, 2000)
and• offsets the need for 4.4 million barrels of oil-equivalent each day (WCD Report, 2000)
Demand for electricity
69%
33%7%
75%
22%
49%
Source: World Atlas of Hydropower & Dams, 2002
Current hydro generation: Africa = 80 Asia = 800 Australasia = 43Europe = 570 N/C America = 700 S America = 550 (TWh/year)
World’s realistic potential developed: 33 %Current hydro production: 2740 TWh/y
Realistic potential production: >8000 TWh/y
Current contribution, 20042743 TWh/y
Europe
North AmericaSouth
America
Africa
AsiaAustralasia
Hydropower, post 2025Hydropower, post 2025
Future contribution, >20256600 TWh/y
Europe North America
South AmericaAfrica
Asia
Australasia
RegionRegionCurrent Current output output ((TWhTWh/y)/y)
Part of Part of potential potential
(%)(%)
Total Total potential potential ((TWhTWh/y)/y)
Realistic Realistic contribution contribution
((TWhTWh/y)/y)
NewNew--build build contribution contribution
((TWhTWh/y)/y)
EuropeEurope 570 72 792 633633 63North AmericaNorth America 700 69 1014 812812 112South AmericaSouth America 550 35 1571 1257 707707AfricaAfrica 80 7 1143 914 834834AsiaAsia 800 22 3636 2909 21092109AustralasiaAustralasia 43 49 88 7070 27TotalTotal 2743 ~ 8245 6596 3853
Priorities:Priorities: PlantPlant--life extension / incremental power life extension / incremental power ++ NewNew--build hydro developmentbuild hydro development
Pumped-storage cycle
All scales of hydropower play an important role
• Damages ecosystems
• Disrupts societies through population displacement
• Detrimental downstream socio-economic impacts
• Greenhouse gas emissions
• High risk investments
Criticisms of HydropowerWhat are some NGOs saying?
Is hydropower in the minds of the media and decision-makers?…
to help address:• Security of supply (water and power)
• Fuel-cost escalation• Emissions abatement• Increasing demand• Retirement of old plant• Changing markets
Renewables 2004 – Outcome
The importance of hydropower for development was made clear by several developingcountry energy ministers in Bonn in June 2004.The Bonn Declaration reaffirms that hydropower is one of the renewable technologies that can “significantly contribute to sustainable development, to providing access to energy, especially the poor, to mitigating greenhouse gas emissions and reducing harmful air pollutants, thereby creating new economic opportunities and enhancing energy security through cooperation and collaboration.” – signed by 154 countries
Sustainability
Economy Environment
Society
The hydro sector should fully embrace sustainability
Striking a balanceon a foundation of sound technology
Advancing sustainable hydropower
Sustainability Guidelines
Compliance Protocol
Sustainable Hydro Website
Blue Planet Prize Certification
IHA has developed Sustainability Guidelines that are:
hydro-specificrigorous pragmatic
Learning from the past
IHA Sustainability Guidelines
They are aimed at supporting the development of a more sustainable hydropower sector.
The guidelines address social, environmental and economic aspects of sustainability.
The International Hydropower Association (IHA) Sustainability Guidelines provide a framework for good practice. They were developed over 18 months with significant review and consultation.The Guidelines were adopted by the IHA in November 2003.
Advancing sustainable hydropower
Sustainability Guidelines
Compliance Protocol
Sustainable Hydro Website
Blue Planet Prize Certification
Compliance ProtocolTo support the implementation of the IHA’s Sustainability Guidelines, a three-volume Compliance Protocol has also been developed.
It has been through a series of trials at a number of hydropower facilities around the world.
The Protocol provides an assessment process to measure sustainability performance of:
• new energy options
• new hydro projects, and
• operating hydropower facilities.
C1 Governance C11 Suppliers and service providers
C2 Economic viability C12 Cultural heritage
C3 Additional benefits C13 Social commitments
C4 Range and flexibility of electricity supply services C14 Environmental commitments
C5 Operational efficiency C15 Reservoir management
C6 Operational short-term and long-term reliability C16 Environmental flows
C7 Community acceptance C17 Aquatic biodiversity
C8 Dam, power station and associated infrastructure safety C18 Water quality
C9 Employee safety C19 Reservoir and downstream sedimentation and erosion risks
C10 Employee opportunity, equity, and diversity C20 Catchment management and terrestrial
biodiversity
Elements – Section COperating Hydropower Facilities
Economic Social Environmental
Compliance Protocol “A” 9 6 5
Compliance Protocol “B” 4 7 9
Compliance Protocol “C” 6 7 7
AspectsAssessing different aspects of sustainability?
Score Description
5• At or very near international best performance. • Suitable, adequate, and effective planning and
management systems.• Meets or exceeds objectives and measurable targets.
2
• Below average performance.• Some gaps in compliance with regulations and
commitments.• Significant gaps in planning and management systems.• Significant gaps in meeting objectives and measurable
targets.
Compliance Protocol Scoring
C1 Aspect: Governance. Looks at the governance of the business in terms of sustainability objectives.
Score Business Principles Systems, Structure, and Reporting
5
• Clearly defined vision, values, strategies, or business principles that have strongly embedded and comprehensive sustainability objectives.
• Meets and often exceeds regulatory requirements and other commitments.
• Comprehensive, independently certified management systems.
• An efficient and effective business structure. • Transparent performance reporting process.
4
• Significant incorporation of sustainability objectives in values, strategies, or business principles.
• Meets and occasionally exceeds regulatory requirements and other commitments.
• Good management systems, not necessarily independently certified.
• A largely efficient and effective business structure.
• A largely effective performance reporting process.
Examples – C1Operating Hydropower Facilities
Advancing sustainable hydropower
Sustainability Guidelines
Compliance Protocol
Sustainable Hydro Website
Blue Planet Prize Certification
Blue Planet Prize
Four step process for the evaluation of the 2005 candidate schemes:
• Self-assessment through the Compliance Protocol• Submission of detailed report demonstrating technical,
economic, social and environmental good practice – and excellence in one or more of these aspects
• Site visit by two members of the panel of judges, followed by brief report/proposal to the remainder of the panel
• Final consideration and decision by the panel
Advancing sustainable hydropower
Advancing sustainable hydropower
Sustainability Guidelines
Compliance Protocol
Sustainable Hydro Website
Blue Planet Prize Certification
Hydropower Certification
• External verification of sustainability performance against an international standard.
• Internal driver for improved business performance.• Potential qualification for premium pricing schemes.• Lighter regulation, better relationships with regulators.• Easier access to finance.• Enhanced asset value.• Better stakeholder relationships, reputation.
Why Certify?
Certification Process
• Governing Body – consists of industry, a standards organisation and NGO representatives.
• Governing Body accredits auditors.
• Potential certification candidates apply to Governing Body
• Governing Body appoints audit team.
• Auditors complete audit and submit recommendations to Governing Body (communication process with certification candidate).
• Governing Body makes a decision on certification.
Who decides?
Proposed Certification ScoringUsing the Compliance Protocol
• Minimum score of 3 on all aspects.
• Score of 4 or better on ten aspects, including at least:
two economic, two social, and two environmental aspects.
Advancing sustainable hydropower
Sustainability Guidelines
Compliance Protocol
Sustainable Hydro Website
Blue Planet Prize Certification
Sustainable Hydropower WebsiteShowcasing good practice
Sustainable Hydropower Website
With identification and sound management of social issues,hydropower schemes have the capacity to significantly reduce povertyand enhance the quality of life in the communities they serve. Thechallenge is to ensure that all individuals and communities affected bya hydropower development benefit in areas such as with improvedliving conditions, public health facilities, equitable distribution of
benefits, social compensation measures. New developments requirecomprehensive social impact assessment, genuine communityengagement, public acceptance, and monitoring of outcomes. Theinterlinkages with environmental and economic aspects of sustainablehydropower must be well understood.
Click on this area to learn more about specific social sustainability issues
Sustainable Hydropower Website
Communities or individuals who are affected by a project, and subject to displacement, should be adequately compensated and their rights need to be communicated and options for resettlement negotiate during the process of project development.
How to get involved?
• Copies of the Guidelines and Compliance Protocol are available at: www.hydropower.org
• Further details of the website initiative can be obtained from: [email protected]
• Organisations wishing to trial the Compliance Protocol or contribute ideas on the Certification proposal should contact: [email protected] or [email protected]
What’s Next?
• Further trials / workshops of the compliance protocol are needed
• The IHA needs partners to assist in the development and funding of the certification process and best practice website
• A Certification Governing Body and a process to administer the website need to be established.
Partner Associations?
International Renewable Energy Alliance
Nepal Hydropower Association
Potential Partners
UN / Facilitators?
Potential Partners
Conservation Organizations
Potential Partners
Financing Organizations
Potential Partners
Governments
Stockholm
Workshop with potential partners to present reviews and comparisons with
other guidelines and criteria.
Workshop to take place on Saturday 20 August (14.00 to 18.00)