Hydropower is the dominant source of energy in the Amazon region, the world's largest river basin and a hotspot for future hydropower development. However, a new Global Environmental Change study warns that in the coming decades, climate change-driven reductions in precipitation and river discharge will diminish the Amazon's hydropower capacity.
The study's authors examined 351 proposed hydropower projects in the Amazon basin. Their findings suggest that hydrologic shifts by midcentury will reduce hydropower generation at many locations. As river discharge becomes increasingly variable and hydropower output declines, alternative energy sources like solar and wind are expected to become ever more important.
Hydropower needs to be designed to operate in concert with alternative energy sources like solar and wind so periods of low river flows do not disrupt electrical grids that supply vital power to cities and industries. New hydropower facilities should be carefully sited in locations of more reliable flows, and designed to operate over a broader range of flows than historical experience would indicate.
Almeida concludes, "Energy planners need to focus on climate resilience. Brazil, for example, has over 200 million people and hydropower is the dominant energy source. This year, Brazilian hydropower reservoirs are at record lows due to extreme drought; as a result, Brazil might need to start rationing power. Ensuring energy security into the future will require diversifying energy sources to include solar and wind, and adapting hydropower plans to suit future -- not historic -- river flows."
Which of the following statements are correct?