Energy security in Asia - Himalayan hydropower

This thesis explores actual and potential feasibility of investment in hydropower in the Himalayan region and China. Hydropower’s carbon free and sustainable image has come under threat thanks to increasing concerns over climate change, population growth, and energy demand. Existing implications and evolving externalities are increasingly threatening the feasibility of current and future developments. The Himalayas natural water resources and high gradients make it the ideal location for power to be sourced through hydropower. The scale of the Himalayas untapped hydropower potential encourages the argument that further investment in the resource would be economically feasible. Analysis of former patterns and relationships associated with Himalayan hydropower takes place and evolving implications that threaten the productivity of future hydropower performance are applied throughout. River runoff is reducing in the Himalayas, threatening to decrease the efficiency of hydropower operation. Reduction in water availability exacerbates water security concerns in the Himalayas. Water and energy security issues are also threatened by exponential increases in the region’s population. Population growth is the greatest catalyst behind the sustainability issues that threaten Asia’s economic growth. There are huge pressures to sustainably accommodate this growing population through renewable sources. The scale of increased demand for energy however is likely to become more significantly met by thermal sources as the productivity of hydropower is set to reduce without successful mitigation attempts. Despite environmental awareness increasing throughout Asia and a cooling economic climate in China, soaring energy needs are outpacing the expansion of climate friendly renewable power.