Small hydropower plants in Western Balkan countries: status, controversies and a proposed model for decision making
Abstract
Background As the countries of the Western Balkans (WB) have committed to sustainable development, the process of regulatory and economic adjustment is underway. As part of the aforementioned fact, the WB countries have commenced exploitation of energy from renewable sources, among which hydropower is the most important. The main objective of the study is to analyse the status of renewable energy transition in the WB region, focusing on the construction and exploitation of small hydropower plants (SHPPs), as well as a proposal for an original model for decision making in this field, based on a multidimensional decision-making space. Namely, in most cases, there is resistance to the construction of SHPPs in the WB territory, as well as divided opinion among investors, companies, environmental movements, academia, and citizens on this issue. This shows that the entire decision-making process has to be reviewed and re-designed. Results The results of the study show that the construction o...f SHPPs caused damage to environmentally protected areas, living conditions of local communities, touristic and agricultural potential. All of the foregoing matters have led to mass protests by citizens and a high degree of mistrust so that the future of SHPPs in the WB is extremely uncertain. The assessment of the acceptability of existing SHPPs through the proposed model showed that 74% of SHPPs cannot be considered acceptable from the aspect of the location where they were built, and from the aspect of the impact on the quality of life of the local population. Accordingly, this paper provides suggestions for much-needed improvements. Conclusions The construction of SHPPs is causing numerous controversies, opposition, and resistance. To find the right solution, and contribute to sustainable energy and economic development, it is necessary to develop a fully transparent and objective policy system in this field, and to use contemporary models for decision making with emphasis on the involvement local communities in the decision-making process.
Keywords:
Western Balkans / Sustainable energy transition / Small hydropower plants / Modelling / Environmental awareness / Decision-making processSource:
Energy Sustainability and Society, 2022, 12, 1Publisher:
- BMC, LONDON
Funding / projects:
- Ministry of Science, Technological Development and Innovation of the Republic of Serbia, institutional funding - 200156 (University of Novi Sad, Faculty of Technical Science) (RS-MESTD-inst-2020-200156)
- Slovenian Research Agency [P5-0018]
- AP Vojvodina, Provincial Secretariat for Higher Education and Scientific Research, Republic of Serbia [142-451-2589/2021-01/1]
DOI: 10.1186/s13705-022-00335-7
ISSN: 2192-0567
WoS: 000755114100001
Scopus: 2-s2.0-85125018929
Collections
Institution/Community
Fakultet poslovne ekonomijeTY - JOUR AU - Pavlaković, Barbara AU - Okanović, Andrea AU - Vasić, Bojana AU - Ješić, Jelena AU - Sprajc, Polona PY - 2022 UR - https://redun.educons.edu.rs/handle/123456789/473 AB - Background As the countries of the Western Balkans (WB) have committed to sustainable development, the process of regulatory and economic adjustment is underway. As part of the aforementioned fact, the WB countries have commenced exploitation of energy from renewable sources, among which hydropower is the most important. The main objective of the study is to analyse the status of renewable energy transition in the WB region, focusing on the construction and exploitation of small hydropower plants (SHPPs), as well as a proposal for an original model for decision making in this field, based on a multidimensional decision-making space. Namely, in most cases, there is resistance to the construction of SHPPs in the WB territory, as well as divided opinion among investors, companies, environmental movements, academia, and citizens on this issue. This shows that the entire decision-making process has to be reviewed and re-designed. Results The results of the study show that the construction of SHPPs caused damage to environmentally protected areas, living conditions of local communities, touristic and agricultural potential. All of the foregoing matters have led to mass protests by citizens and a high degree of mistrust so that the future of SHPPs in the WB is extremely uncertain. The assessment of the acceptability of existing SHPPs through the proposed model showed that 74% of SHPPs cannot be considered acceptable from the aspect of the location where they were built, and from the aspect of the impact on the quality of life of the local population. Accordingly, this paper provides suggestions for much-needed improvements. Conclusions The construction of SHPPs is causing numerous controversies, opposition, and resistance. To find the right solution, and contribute to sustainable energy and economic development, it is necessary to develop a fully transparent and objective policy system in this field, and to use contemporary models for decision making with emphasis on the involvement local communities in the decision-making process. PB - BMC, LONDON T2 - Energy Sustainability and Society T1 - Small hydropower plants in Western Balkan countries: status, controversies and a proposed model for decision making IS - 1 VL - 12 DO - 10.1186/s13705-022-00335-7 UR - conv_1112 ER -
@article{ author = "Pavlaković, Barbara and Okanović, Andrea and Vasić, Bojana and Ješić, Jelena and Sprajc, Polona", year = "2022", abstract = "Background As the countries of the Western Balkans (WB) have committed to sustainable development, the process of regulatory and economic adjustment is underway. As part of the aforementioned fact, the WB countries have commenced exploitation of energy from renewable sources, among which hydropower is the most important. The main objective of the study is to analyse the status of renewable energy transition in the WB region, focusing on the construction and exploitation of small hydropower plants (SHPPs), as well as a proposal for an original model for decision making in this field, based on a multidimensional decision-making space. Namely, in most cases, there is resistance to the construction of SHPPs in the WB territory, as well as divided opinion among investors, companies, environmental movements, academia, and citizens on this issue. This shows that the entire decision-making process has to be reviewed and re-designed. Results The results of the study show that the construction of SHPPs caused damage to environmentally protected areas, living conditions of local communities, touristic and agricultural potential. All of the foregoing matters have led to mass protests by citizens and a high degree of mistrust so that the future of SHPPs in the WB is extremely uncertain. The assessment of the acceptability of existing SHPPs through the proposed model showed that 74% of SHPPs cannot be considered acceptable from the aspect of the location where they were built, and from the aspect of the impact on the quality of life of the local population. Accordingly, this paper provides suggestions for much-needed improvements. Conclusions The construction of SHPPs is causing numerous controversies, opposition, and resistance. To find the right solution, and contribute to sustainable energy and economic development, it is necessary to develop a fully transparent and objective policy system in this field, and to use contemporary models for decision making with emphasis on the involvement local communities in the decision-making process.", publisher = "BMC, LONDON", journal = "Energy Sustainability and Society", title = "Small hydropower plants in Western Balkan countries: status, controversies and a proposed model for decision making", number = "1", volume = "12", doi = "10.1186/s13705-022-00335-7", url = "conv_1112" }
Pavlaković, B., Okanović, A., Vasić, B., Ješić, J.,& Sprajc, P.. (2022). Small hydropower plants in Western Balkan countries: status, controversies and a proposed model for decision making. in Energy Sustainability and Society BMC, LONDON., 12(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-022-00335-7 conv_1112
Pavlaković B, Okanović A, Vasić B, Ješić J, Sprajc P. Small hydropower plants in Western Balkan countries: status, controversies and a proposed model for decision making. in Energy Sustainability and Society. 2022;12(1). doi:10.1186/s13705-022-00335-7 conv_1112 .
Pavlaković, Barbara, Okanović, Andrea, Vasić, Bojana, Ješić, Jelena, Sprajc, Polona, "Small hydropower plants in Western Balkan countries: status, controversies and a proposed model for decision making" in Energy Sustainability and Society, 12, no. 1 (2022), https://doi.org/10.1186/s13705-022-00335-7 ., conv_1112 .