Hydro Research & Reports

New Sustainable Hydropower Protocol

The event included launch of the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol. The protocol is a tool that allows all those involved in planning and building of a hydropower plant to assess its impact and minimise the detrimental effects at all points in the process.

"Dam building is a complex process. It affects communities, ecosystems and economies, and often pits their interests against one another. With pressure to create safe, low-carbon energy sources, we can expect dramatic expansion of hydropower. But we can mitigate the conflicts if we thoughtfully and thoroughly assess potential environmental, economic and social impacts," said WWF Water Security Leader Dr Joerg Hartmann.

The Protocol is the result of intensive work from 2008 to 2010 by the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum, a multi-stakeholder body with representatives from: social and environmental NGOs (Oxfam, The Nature Conservancy, Transparency International, WWF), governments (China, Germany, Iceland, Norway, Zambia), commercial and development banks (Equator Principles Financial Institutions Group, The World Bank), and the hydropower sector, represented by IHA.

Under the Protocol, projects would be ranked on a scale of one to five according to their likely effects on biodiversity, ecology, hydrology and erosion as well as on broader issues regarding regional planning, cultural heritage and effect on local inhabitants.

The protocol, which is voluntary, has faced some criticism because a poor rating may not prevent a project from going ahead.

"WWF is committed to supporting this process and making sure that assessments are reliable, that the tool is used for sustainability assessments and not for greenwashing, and that no claims as to the sustainability of projects are made that can't be backed up," Dr Hartmann said.

Michael Lawrenchuk, a former Chief of Fox Lake Cree Nation - which has been significantly affected by hydroelectric developments in Manitoba's North - received a standing ovation following his speech at the Congress which outlined his peoples history with Manitoba Hydro.

Manitoba Hydro is a signatory to the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol, and member of the IHA.

Underwater Bipole Still Alive, Says Ryan

Manitoba Hydro spokesman Glenn Schneider said the report should put the idea of an underwater transmission cable to rest for the foreseeable future.

This misstatement of the report's findings, that the underwater/underground cable issue was dead, raised the ire of study co-author Dr. John Ryan. "I can say categorically that our report did nothing of the kind. Unfortunately, for some inexplicable reason, it is Manitoba Hydro's public relations department that contributed to this misconception," stated Ryan, a long-time proponent of an underwater and/or underground electrical transmission.

"Moreover, if an overhead line were to be built for Bipole IV, it would probably have to be placed right along the Saskatchewan border, making it so long and costly that an underwater cable route could be competitive in cost, especially considering its advantages," added Ryan.

Emissions from Hydro Reservoirs

GHG emissions in reservoirs are the same everywhere in the world but the magnitude varies. Areas of high agricultural activity such as southern Manitoba and Ontario have higher emissions compared to lower productivity areas. GHG emissions from hydro reservoirs are 35-70 times lower per Terrawatt hour than those of thermal generating stations (coal, natural gas).

In a Climate Registry seminar in September, 2009 Manitoba Hydro indicated they are using the Inter-governmental Panel on Climate Change approach that accounts for GHG implications at a national level, rather than for individual projects. This approach would not provide information for new generation projects and reservoirs, or emissions during construction or initial years of operation. This approach also does not include land-use change implications, tends to over-estimate methane emissions, but does not fully account full life cycle accounting for all the potential emissions, to include net implications and so is not accurate.

Emissions accounting for construction and operation of generation stations needs to be included with reservoir emissions accounting.

View Natural Resources Canada CO2 emissions from reservoirs in Quebec
View Climate Registry: GHG Emissions from Hydro Reservoirs event
Download May 2009 The Climate Registry's presentation (PDF)
Download September 17, 2009 The Climate Registry's presentation (PDF)
Download September 17, 2009 Manitoba Hydro's presentation (PDF)

World Commission on Dams -
Contributing Report on the Churchill River Diversion

Low Impact Hydropower Institute

1. river flows,
2. water quality,
3. fish passage and protection,
4. watershed protection
5. threatened and endangered species protection,
6. cultural resource protection,
7. recreation, and
8. facilities recommended for removal.

Hydro Research Reports and Documents Commissioned by Manitoba Wildlands

Hydro Map Gallery