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As we have seen, climate change will have a
significant impact on water flow, thus affecting
hydropower generation, which generates the
majority of power in the region. In South America
as a whole, hydropower generates about 65 per
Energy
cent of electricity (WWDR, 2014). The majority of
hydropower facilities are located in the mountains.
In the region, Peru is the country most reliant on
glacial water also for its hydropower generation.
Southern Peru and Bolivia also rely significantly on
hydropower and are, in addition to melting glaciers,
expected to experience a decrease in precipitation.
North-western Peru, Ecuador and Colombia are
expected to see an increase in precipitation, which
could increase their hydropower generation capacity.
For eastern Colombia and Venezuela, on the
contrary, reduced precipitation could cause reduced
capacity. Drastically changing glaciers, páramos and
other ecosystems must also be accounted for in the
development of hydropower policies in the futures.
This is also true for the increasing proportional
demand from other sectors of the economy including
the rapidly rising population.
Mountains also present alternatives for other
renewable energy sources. A rapidly rising
population and per capita energy use mean that the
region will require substantial additional energy
production in the future. Adapting to climate change
also involves adapting to climate change mitigation,
which is increasingly relevant for Andean states. The
topography of the Andes can create areas of intense
winds suitable for turbines, yet this resource is
largely untapped. Another important energy source
is firewood, which is an ecosystem service provided
by sustainable mountain forest management.
Solar power is another resource with significant
potential in the Andes due to high radiation at high
altitudes (Kawajiri et al., 2011). This source of power
has the potential to provide electricity for larger
urban areas. It can also be particularly suitable for
remote rural communities in the high mountains.
Increasing or diversifying electricity production
could also increase the adaptive capacity of
rural communities.
Solar panel on rural house, Peru