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Open AccessArticle
Rehabilitation or Demolition of Small Hydropower Plants: Evaluation of the Environmental and Economic Sustainability of the Case Study “El Cerrajón”
by
Eduardo Vázquez-López
Eduardo Vázquez-López 1,
Victor Matitos-Montoya
Victor Matitos-Montoya 2 and
Madelyn Marrero
Madelyn Marrero 1,*
1
ArDiTec Research Group, Department of Architectural Construction II, School of Building Engineering, University of Seville, Av. Reina Mercedes 4-a, 41012 Seville, Spain
2
School of Engineering, University of Seville, Avenida Camino de los Descubrimientos S/N, 41092 Seville, Spain
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Environments 2024, 11(8), 184; https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11080184 (registering DOI)
Submission received: 28 June 2024
/
Revised: 5 August 2024
/
Accepted: 15 August 2024
/
Published: 22 August 2024
Abstract
During the 1950s, numerous small-capacity hydroelectric power plants were built in Spain. Seventy-five years on, it must now be decided whether to continue their operation or demolish them. In order to provide a valid answer, it is necessary to have access to decision-making tools that enable sustainable economic and environmental decision making. The present work proposes a methodology that employs an economic indicator of life cycle cost and environmental indicators of carbon footprint and embodied energy by means of life cycle data analysis. Quantification of the impacts was carried out with the support of construction cost databases and the PREDICE software tool for the quantification of environmental impacts incorporated into maintenance tasks. The case study of the “Cerrajón” power plant was analyzed, where historical hydrological cycles were considered. A life cycle scenario was evaluated in which renovation extended the life of the power plant by a further 75 years. The results show savings in environmental impacts with respect to the impacts of the Spanish energy mix of up to 175 kgCO2 per MWh produced, although no economic benefit was found. It was also shown that in climate change scenarios, the profit price breakeven increases. Rehabilitation appears to present the best choice when combining the two criteria.
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MDPI and ACS Style
Vázquez-López, E.; Matitos-Montoya, V.; Marrero, M.
Rehabilitation or Demolition of Small Hydropower Plants: Evaluation of the Environmental and Economic Sustainability of the Case Study “El Cerrajón”. Environments 2024, 11, 184.
https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11080184
AMA Style
Vázquez-López E, Matitos-Montoya V, Marrero M.
Rehabilitation or Demolition of Small Hydropower Plants: Evaluation of the Environmental and Economic Sustainability of the Case Study “El Cerrajón”. Environments. 2024; 11(8):184.
https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11080184
Chicago/Turabian Style
Vázquez-López, Eduardo, Victor Matitos-Montoya, and Madelyn Marrero.
2024. "Rehabilitation or Demolition of Small Hydropower Plants: Evaluation of the Environmental and Economic Sustainability of the Case Study “El Cerrajón”" Environments 11, no. 8: 184.
https://doi.org/10.3390/environments11080184
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