Growing hydropower potential in China under 1.5 degrees C and 2.0 degrees C global warming and beyond

Qi, Wei1; Feng, Lian1; Liu, Junguo1; Yang, Hong2,3

2022-11-01

10.1088/1748-9326/ac9c72

Environmental Research Letters   Impact Factor & Quartile

1748-9326

Renewable energy is the key to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and is one of the most concerning issues worldwide. China has the largest hydropower potential in the world. Yet, how China's hydropower potential will change under 1.5 degrees C and 2.0 degrees C global warming and beyond remains unknown. Here, we find that China's hydropower will increase greatly because of global warming. Gross hydropower potential (GHP) will increase by about one-half compared to the baseline period (1986-2015) under 1.5 degrees C and 2.0 degrees C warming, and about two-thirds under 4.5 degrees C warming. The spatial and temporal changes in GHP will vary largely. GHP will increase relatively more in summer than in winter, and more in Southwest China than in other regions. Compared to GHP, increases in per-capita GHP will be relatively less under 1.5 degrees C (5%) and 2.0 degrees C (7%) warming, but of a similar magnitude under 4.5 degrees C warming (71%). This study provides important information on China's hydropower potential changes under global warming.

renewable energy hydropower climate change China

SCI

English

First ; Corresponding

Shenzhen Science and Technology Program[41971304] ; National Natural Science Foundation of China[2018YFE0206200] ; National Key R&D Program of China[XDA20060402] ; Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences[JCYJ20190809155205559] ; Shenzhen Science and Technology Innovation Committee[20200925155151006] ; Stable Support Plan Program of Shenzhen Natural Science Fund[G02296302] ; High-level Special Funding of the Southern University of Science and Technology[2017B030301012] ; Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil and Groundwater Pollution Control[KCXFZ20201221173601003]

Environmental Sciences & Ecology ; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences

Environmental Sciences ; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences

WOS:000884378700001

IOP Publishing Ltd

Web of Science

1.Southern Univ Sci & Technol, Sch Environm Sci & Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
2.Eawag, Swiss Fed Inst Aquat Sci & Technol, Dubendorf, Switzerland
3.Univ Basel, Dept Environm Sci, MGU, Basel, Switzerland

Qi, Wei,Feng, Lian,Liu, Junguo,et al. Growing hydropower potential in China under 1.5 degrees C and 2.0 degrees C global warming and beyond[J]. Environmental Research Letters,2022,17(11).

Qi, Wei,Feng, Lian,Liu, Junguo,&Yang, Hong.(2022).Growing hydropower potential in China under 1.5 degrees C and 2.0 degrees C global warming and beyond.Environmental Research Letters,17(11).

Qi, Wei,et al."Growing hydropower potential in China under 1.5 degrees C and 2.0 degrees C global warming and beyond".Environmental Research Letters 17.11(2022).