Could Hydroelectricity be the future in Laos?

samakomlao · Guru

Could Hydroelectricity be the future in Laos?

Date: Nov 30, 2007

From the link:

Laos is known for its tragic past. During the American-Vietnam War it became the most bombed country in the world, the bombs are the legacy of American that is why Laos has left a legacy of poverty and underdevelopment. However, Laos is blessed with a long stretch of the Mekong river, and the river's tributaries and the country's mountainous landscape offer huge potential for generating hydro-electric power. The Lao government now dreams of becoming the "battery of South-East Asia", utilising the country's powerful natural resource to boost its development by supplying electricity to its neighbours such as China, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. Already under construction, the Nam Theun 2 dam is one of the biggest and most controversial projects in the region. Located in the central Lao provinces of Khammuane and Bolikhamzy, the $1.45bn (£705m) project is being built by a consortium of companies including Electricite de France (EDF) and the Electricity Generating Company of Thailand. The World Bank and the Asian Development Bank are among the international agencies providing the funding and support to the project. The World Bank sees this as a model project, and it says that every step has been taken to minimise the environmental and social impact. Peter Stephens, spokesperson at the World Bank, says Nam Theun 2 is a great opportunity for Laos to make a lot of money over a long period of time and use it to help alleviate poverty. "It's a project that has seen a lot of thought put into its side-effects on the environment and the local communities," he explains. Mr Sor and his family are amongst the 6,200 indigenous peoples who have been forced to move home in order to make way for the dam's reservoir which stretches 450-square kilometres (281 square miles). Their house in SopiaVillage is brand new, and the village now has access to better roads and cleaner water. "We are settling down nicely now. When the new land is ready, I will grow fruit or vegetables," says Mr Sor. But some critics argue that these villagers are among the luckier ones. They say that many more families are not getting the compensation they deserve, and that question marks remain over their long-term livelihoods. Non-profit organisations including International Rivers say other hydro-electric power projects in Laos have left a legacy of destroyed livelihoods, and seriously damaged the local environment. "What Laos needs is a development strategy to reduce poverty without destroying the rivers and resources upon which Lao people depend," says Shannon Lawrence of International Rivers. "That is the type of initiative the World Bank should be supporting," she added. For Laos, hydro-electric power is a highly lucrative venture, and it is already constructing another 10 dams and considering building up to 70 more. The government promises to use the money to alleviate poverty. But with the country consistently rated as one of the world's most corrupt, there are serious questions as to whether hydro-electric power projects will truly benefit the locals, or simply help make their government richer.

paris_vientiane · Guru

we talked a lot about this yet

For my part, i think it's good idea to develop hydroelectric. Laos need to develop, Laos need money income, and hydroelectricity is a good potential

However, the negative effects, the drawbacks of dams, can be very strong, because the ecological and economical impact over rivers and people who live around the river can be strong.

This mean Laos should carefully select the hydroelectric project they want to become real, and take care a lot about compensations for livelihood.

Another point about hydroelectricity: don't dream too much.
There is another very interesting potential to develop in Laos... but also in many other neighbour countries : solar electricity.

Until this year, solar pannels are very expensive and not very efficient. The consequence is the low development of solar plant/solar electricity, even in countries like Laos that have lot of sun.

But i've just heard about a new american company. They are building factories in USA and Germany to produce a new generation of solar panels, using nanotechnologies. I think a few other companies are working on the same subject. They expect to launch their products next year (or maybe 2009). What about their product performance? the energical effficeincy is expected to be a little bit better than current solar panel, but the most interesting point is the cost: their solar pannels are expected to be 10 time less expensive than current pannels! 10 times!

If it's true... and we have many reason to think it's true because nanotechnologies have for sure a very high potential, this mean that everyone will be able to access to very low cost and very ecological electricity in the next few years... especialy in a sunny country like Laos, thailand, vietnam....

Do you think neighbour countries of Laos will still need to buy lao hydroelectricity if they can get electricity from sun for low cost? probably not.

Don't invest too much money if you are not sure about the return on investment.

more information about low cost solar panels:
http://www.nanosolar.com/
http://www.enerzine.com/603/3396+Encre-de-silicium-pour-cellules-solaires-liquides+.html

-- Edited by paris_vientiane at 10:50, 2007-11-30

Date: Dec 3, 2007

yes it is, if Laos has completed 70 dums Laos GDP per capita will abobove Kuwait's today.
"What Laos needs is a development strategy to reduce poverty without destroying the revers and resources upon Lao people depend" say Shannon Lawrene of International Rivers. but can i make conclusion along yours like" what industrail countries and big cities need is a development strategy to make rich without destroying environment upon their people depend" says Sutchay, Lao student in Hanoi.
it is very funny that a destroys environment then ask b to preserve environment.
in this cencutry, the air is 1.4 O hotter, is because of poluted smoke from factories and from transportation means, almost 100 is from big cities and industrial contries.
Lao hanoi