In the Absence of Run-Of-River Hydro, We Get Eco-Wrecking Dams

South America’s energy demands can be met in different ways, but most countries lean to hydro in one form or another.  One of the reasons I’m so excited about the run-of-river hydro projects I’m trying to put together in Southern Brazil is that, in their absence, that country will soon commence work on what will become the second-largest hydroelectric dam on the planet.  Some of these projects flood enormous areas of land; the largest is about 7000 square kilometers, about 12 times the size of Manhattan Island. In this case, the land at stake is jungle, habitat to thousands of different species that also functions as a huge CO2 sink. 

Yesterday, Peru approved a hydro-electric dam (Chadin 2), small by the standards discussed above, but regrettable nonetheless.

Pictured above is Grand Coulee Dam in Eastern Washington State, the largest in the U.S., fifth largest in the world.