Multi-effect equilibrium analysis for sector-level direct/indirect socio-economic and environmental effects of large-scale hydropower initiatives: A case study for the world's 7th-largest hydropower project

An increasing number of large-scale hydropower projects (LHPs) are constructed in various countries to combat climate change. Besides hydropower generation, LHPs could also contribute to water supply, irrigation, navigation, flood control, and other comprehensive benefits. Thus, it is essential to quantitatively analyze the overall and sub-functional benefits of LHPs in their operational phase. In this study, a multi-effect LHP equilibrium analysis model has been proposed and applied to the Wudongde Hydropower Station (WDD) to investigate its sector-level direct/indirect socio-economic and environmental (SEE) effects. The results indicate that WDD's operation greatly promotes the regional socio-economic growth and facilitates the greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reduction. The increased value of indirect gross domestic product (GDP) is equivalent to 0.027% of the total GDP of the Yangtze River Economic Belt in 2021, and the annual decreased amount of indirect GHG emissions is about 260.8 million tonnes. The results shed light on the contributions of different sub-functions of LHP to SEE indicators, which plays a pivotal role for decision-makers in formulating LHP-related operational planning and GHG emission reduction policies. Moreover, the modeling framework can be extended to assess the SEE effects of other LHPs around the world.