Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
FIGURE 5.13 Economic cost of changes
in mean and extreme temperature and
precipitation on (a) transportation and
(b) all city infrastructure in Chicago, by
2070-2099 as compared to 1961-1990.
Source: Hayhoe et al. (2010).
Hydropower, which accounts for 75% of renewable power generation
in the United States and the majority of all electricity supply for many na-
tions in South America and Northern Europe, is the most directly sensitive
to water availability. The relationship between hydropower generation and
precipitation tends to be proportional, with a 1% change in precipitation
resulting in approximately 1% change in power generation. However, pro-
jecting future climate effects on hydropower generation is limited by un-
certainties in precipitation projections. For example, recent projections of
hydropower generation in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California ranged
from -10% to +10%, depending on the climate model used (Vicuña et al.,
2008). Similarly, projections for the Pacific Northwest ranged from +2% to
-30%, depending on the precipitation projections (Markoff et al., 2008).
