With global warming, periods of drought will increase and

intensify over the coming decades. So, hydraulics is strongly threatened for its

production achieved thanks to the flow of water.

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• The state of the issue of global warming

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The French meteorological institute explains that episodes of drought are one of the

manifestations of global warming. These have a strong impact on the

energy production and, in particular, hydroelectric energy. “Hydraulics is a very

dependent on the reconstitution of the snow cover in the mountains, the melting of the ice

or even the level of waterways", explains Nicolas Goldberg, senior energy manager for the

consulting firm Columbus Consulting. » So if you have a dry spell or a

absence of snow, you do not load the dams".

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• Energy exploitation in France facing the climate situation

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France is one of the countries pioneering hydroelectricity. Indeed, this story with energy

hydraulic power began at the end of the 19th century, which makes it the oldest energy

produced. The French territory has a record number of hydraulic power stations (427) and

dams (600) operated by EDF, for decades, according to Jean-Luc Mounier,

journalist at France 24.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Copyright: EDF)

 

VSsome of these installations are dependent on rainfall, i.e. the measurement of

rain fell, the distribution of rain, and therefore have a direct and considerable impact caused by the

drought. These latter installations include run-of-river equipment,

ordinarily in rivers and streams, and locks. There are also lake power stations

and pumped energy transfer stations (STEP), which are large pieces of equipment

requiring large operations with large dams. The latter have the function of

store water, and redistribute it quickly when consumption peaks arise.

Hydraulic energy occupies an important place in the French energy mix. In 2021 she

was 12% of total electricity production, i.e. much more than photovoltaics and

wind power. Furthermore, it “does not emit greenhouse gases, can be used quickly and is also

a very economical renewable energy in the long term", explains EDF.

 

• All energy sources will suffer a considerable impact due to global warming

 

Nowadays, France's energy policy is governed by Programming

Multiannual Energy Plans (PPE). The latter has set several objectives over the period 2022-2028,

in particular to increase, optimize and make its production more flexible.

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• What place is hydroelectricity destined to occupy in the French energy mix?

in the future ?

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“Even if it is not destined to be the majority, hydroelectricity is a key energy,” explains

Nicholas Goldberg. “If we grow this sector just a little bit more – there is a little potential

growth of around 5 GWh – we can integrate even more renewables into the mix

energy. »

“All energy sources will be impacted by global warming,” concludes

Nicholas Goldberg. “Thermal power plants (gas, carbon-free or biomass) will be

affected with the weakening of water resources, wind regimes will evolve, the

extreme heat on a photovoltaic panel makes it less productive... The question is

how will we take these climatic phenomena into account, but we are not going to

no longer invest in renewable energies. »

 

So even if hydroelectricity is threatened by droughts, all energies are

threatened by the consequences of global warming. So this last energy has

still has to prove itself, and its place in the French energy mix.