Hydropower - Key to Meet the KyotoObjectives and to Achieve the Large-scaleIntegration of Intermittent Resources

摘要

The European Commission has approved general orientations determining that 12% of thernenergy production in 2010 should be satisfied by renewable resources (double of the 1990rnvalue). In the present time, Portuguese energy production depends on 85% of imported fossilrnfuel. The contribution of the renewable energies is mostly based in the electrical sector. Inrnthis sector the hydropower produces about 1/3 of the total consumed electricity.rnTo satisfy the European Commission Renewable Electricity Directive, aiming to have arnglobal 22% renewable share in the EU in 2010, Portugal must achieve 39% renewablernelectricity production in 2010. This European Commission Directive will lead to a largerrnpromotion of the renewable energies in Portugal, through hydropower, wind power, biomassrnand solar energy.rnThe Portuguese electricity consumption growth in the last decade was 5-6% per year. So, thernshort term programmed hydro plants, such as the construction of Alqueva and the powerrncapacity upgrade in Venda Nova, Salamonde and Picote hydropower plants will not bernenough. A substantial part of the remaining national hydropower potential must be usedrn(actually only 58% of national hydropower potential is used), including the use of an evenrnlarger hydro storage potential.