Environmental-impact assessment of hydro-power in Egypt

The environmental impact of energy production and use with the associated e missions of greenhouse gases, particularly CO2, has created much attention and growing concern at both national and international levels. In Egypt, ef forts have been directed to incorporate the environment-protection issues w ithin the overall planning of the energy sector, as appropriate to its nati onal commitment and its techno-economic considerations. Over the past decad e, 1985-1995, hydro-power had contributed between 28 and 22% of the total e nergy produced by Egyptian power-plants, while the contribution of the hydr o capacity was between 32.4 and 21.5%. Many studies have been carried out o n the impacts of the Aswan High Dam on various aspects of the environment. An objective evaluation of the Dam, based on 25 years of operational data, indicated that it has overall been positive even though it has contributed to some environmental problems. These problems, however, are significantly less than most people originally expected. This paper deals with the review and analysis of the detrimental effects of hydro-power in Egypt. An evalua tion will be given of the emissions of greenhouse gases from the whole hydr o-chain. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd, All rights reserved.