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Hydropower in Asia
Asia being mostly tropical, the potentials of hydro power
is big, in mainland Asia in general, and in mountainous countries in
particular. Dams of hydro power plants not only serve as storage for
electricity production, they also impound huge amount of flash flood that can
inundate low-lying areas of a country near the rivers.
The biggest producers of hydro power in Asia in terms of
high percentage of hydro dependence are Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar and Vietnam.
I was lucky to visit Nepal and Bhutan in winter months of
2015. January in Nepal and November in
Bhutan. Electricity supply in both countries are very different. While parts of
Kathmandu can experience 14 hours or more of black outs or power outages daily in
January, the situation is very different in Bhutan as they do not experience black
outs during winter.
One reason why this is so is that Bhutan has only 0.7 million people while
Nepal has nearly 28 million people and hence, demand for electricity is much larger in Nepal than in Bhutan.
In terms of actual hydro power production, the biggest
producers are China, India, and S. Korea. Bhutan and Nepal are not included in
this list below.
To help address the severe lack of electricity in Nepal
during the winter season and hence, reduce the need for generator sets, other
factors, the following are suggested.
One, expand the capacities of existing hydro power plants
by dredging heavily-silted dams, by improving and modernizing the turbines.
Two, allow private players to build dams and produce
hydro electricity. Government resources will always be insufficient to build
such huge structures, but government can facilitate the acquisition of right
of way (ROW) like houses and other structures that stand on the roads or water
reservoir. These must be relocated elsewhere.
Three, encourage multiple use of water in dams to generate additional revenues. Like
fishing and water sports.
Having cheaper and huge, stable energy supply has become
more common among many Asian countries now. It is a good development and it
should continue.
Governments must give more leeway to market players to
flourish and expand, to introduce more innovation. This means reducing the
number of bureaucracies, taxes and permits. Which will attract more traders and businessmen
to do business in the country.
See also:
Business 360 17: Electricity and GDP Growth, April 15, 2014
Business 360 21: Cheap Oil and Nepal, February 20, 2015
Business 360 23: Electricity and Development, March 07, 2015
Business 360-29, Low oil prices and energy development in South Asia, October 25, 2015
Business 360-32, Energy independence in Asia, December 24, 2015
Business 360-33, Cheap energy now and in the future, January 28, 2016
Energy 57, Tony la Vina's anti-coal alarmism, February 06, 2016
Energy 58, Sen. Loren Legarda and renewables, February 27, 2016
Energy 59, Cheap oil and the OFWs, March 07, 2016
Energy 59, Cheap oil and the OFWs, March 07, 2016
Energy 60, PH solar companies, PagIBIG loan for solar, March 12, 2016
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