An Approach of the Hydropower: Advantages and Impacts. A Review
Sebastian Naranjo Silva *
Roads Management Department. The Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Quito, Ecuador.
Javier Álvarez del Castillo
Roads Management Department. The Polytechnic University of Catalonia. Barcelona, Spain.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The present review shows a perspective of hydropower development, a renewable source that has a global installed capacity of 1308 GW with 9000 stations around the world. The document showed the advantages and the impacts around the different author’s perspectives. The review method consisted of defining a criterial find of articles, thesis and scientific material to consolidate the knowledge and give a viewpoint of this renewable source. The results show extensible affectations from hydropower expansion and this renewable energy source that requires analysis and study to delineate development sustainable with multidisciplinary areas of reflection. Moreover, the investigated results worldwide show that hydropower is not a pollution source; however, it has environmental impacts, social and cultural; such facilities may affect land, homes, and natural habitats. It concludes that the development of hydroelectric projects brings benefits but entails unavoidable impacts; therefore, it recommends that these affections must evaluate with detailed studies based on sustainability criteria.
Keywords: Energy, hydropower, impacts, renewable, water