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Politics and Economics of Hydropower: Emerging Conflicts

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Affordable and Clean Energy

Part of the book series: Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals ((ENUNSDG))

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Definition

Hydropower is derived from the Greek word hydro meaning water. Thus, hydropower is energy that generate from the force of moving water driving the turbines, the electricity (energy) produced from generators driven by turbines that convert the potential energy of falling or fast flowing water into mechanical energy (Encyclopedia Britannica 2020). The primary energy, i.e., electricity, is produced by gravity and the height the water falls down on to the turbine (Forsund 2005). The potential for electricity of one unit of water (a cubic meter) is associated with the height from the dam level to the turbine level. However, dam is indispensable structures that facilitate to produce hydroelectric power through turbine. Dam has multiple uses; hydropower is one of the main purposes based on the natural water cycle or hydrological cycle from renewable water resources (Kumar et al. 2012). Thus, dams are defined as a barrier built across a stream, river, or estuary to confine and...

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Peace and Conflict Studies and Management, Sikkim Central University, Gangtok, Sikkim, India

    Navin Rai

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  1. Navin Rai
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. European School of Sustainability Science and Research, Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Hamburg, Germany

    Walter Leal Filho

  2. Center for Neuroscience and Cell Biology, Institute for Interdisciplinary Research, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal

    Anabela Marisa Azul

  3. Faculty of Engineering and Architecture, The University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Brazil

    Luciana Brandli

  4. The University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Brazil

    Amanda Lange Salvia

  5. International Centre for Thriving, University of Chester, Chester, UK

    Tony Wall

Section Editor information

  1. University of Passo Fundo, Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    Marcos Antonio Leite Frandoloso

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Rai, N. (2021). Politics and Economics of Hydropower: Emerging Conflicts. In: Leal Filho, W., Marisa Azul, A., Brandli, L., Lange Salvia, A., Wall, T. (eds) Affordable and Clean Energy. Encyclopedia of the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-95864-4_143

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