Hydropower by Design: The Approach
Hydropower by Design (HbD) is an approach intended to complement and enhance existing planning mechanisms and decision-making processes for management of energy and the environment. Specifically, the framework can support decisions on the selection, design and operation of new hydropower projects and other water management services and on changes to existing hydropower systems. The exact process for implementing HbD in a given river basin, country or region will vary, depending on local enabling conditions, capacity, and context, so this Guide has been structured around best practices for implementing the process (distilled into five components for ease of understanding)-- embedding the approach into policy and practice; engaging stakeholders; translating their interests into metrics; assessing those metrics; and transferring results back to stakeholders to inform decisions.
Embed within planning and decision-making processes
Decisions regarding hydropower development—including funding, regulatory and management decisions—can span across multiple agencies and are dependent upon a range of policies and processes. Successful implementation of HbD will understand how to navigate and influence this context.
Engage stakeholders and understand interests and objectives
Sustained, transparent engagement and two-way dialogue with stakeholders, early and often, ensures that the process is comprehensive, as well as increases trust in results and the durability of decisions that transpire.
Translate stakeholder interests and objectives into metrics
Data collection and technical tool design should be informed by a clear understanding of what stakeholders and decision makers need or want to measure against river management and energy development options.
Assess development options and illustrate tradeoff results
Tradeoff analyses evaluate different sets of outcomes for alternative combinations of dam locations and operations to inform development decisions that are most satisfactory across multiple stakeholder interests.
Transfer results to stakeholders to better inform decisions
HbD produces real results when it is linked to decisions of those entities that build or finance dams or those that manage dams, rivers and other resources. Results from analyses should be presented clearly, and, ideally, be used to guide official planning, siting decisions, licensing processes and mitigation investments.