Hector Angarita
Research Scientist
Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
Academic Appointments
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Phys Sci Res Assoc, Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment
All Publications
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Multiobjective Direct Policy Search Using Physically Based Operating Rules in Multireservoir Systems
JOURNAL OF WATER RESOURCES PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT
2020; 146 (4)
View details for DOI 10.1061/(ASCE)WR.1943-5452.0001159
View details for Web of Science ID 000515546200005
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Reducing greenhouse gas emissions of Amazon hydropower with strategic dam planning
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
2019; 10: 4281
Abstract
Hundreds of dams have been proposed throughout the Amazon basin, one of the world's largest untapped hydropower frontiers. While hydropower is a potentially clean source of renewable energy, some projects produce high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions per unit electricity generated (carbon intensity). Here we show how carbon intensities of proposed Amazon upland dams (median = 39 kg CO2eq MWh-1, 100-year horizon) are often comparable with solar and wind energy, whereas some lowland dams (median = 133 kg CO2eq MWh-1) may exceed carbon intensities of fossil-fuel power plants. Based on 158 existing and 351 proposed dams, we present a multi-objective optimization framework showing that low-carbon expansion of Amazon hydropower relies on strategic planning, which is generally linked to placing dams in higher elevations and smaller streams. Ultimately, basin-scale dam planning that considers GHG emissions along with social and ecological externalities will be decisive for sustainable energy development where new hydropower is contemplated.
View details for DOI 10.1038/s41467-019-12179-5
View details for Web of Science ID 000486566500002
View details for PubMedID 31537792
View details for PubMedCentralID PMC6753097