Greenhouse gas emissions from two hydroelectric reservoirs in Mediterranean region

Water reservoirs are used for many purposes, such as water supply, irrigation, flood mitigation, and hydroelectric energy generation. Although hydroelectric energy is considered “green,” many studies show that the construction of a reservoir enhances greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions at the transformed area. These emissions, mainly of CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O gases, depend on the age of the reservoir, landscape and soil composition, fauna and flora remnants of the impounded area, climatic conditions, and basin runoffs. Consequently, GHG emissions significantly vary between reservoirs and depending on local specificities. Several studies have investigated GHG emissions from reservoirs around the world, focusing mainly on reservoirs located in cold regions, temperate regions, and tropical regions. Research is lacking for reservoirs in Mediterranean countries, like Greece, and similar regions. This work initially assesses the net GHG emissions of a newly created reservoir (Ilarion est. 2012) in Western Macedonia, Greece. The methodology for net GHG emission calculation was based on the use of literature data concerning pre-impoundment emission factors and local specificities of the reservoir (terrain type, canopy cover), as well as on the 2-year measurement data that were collected using a “static floating chamber.” Furthermore, in this work, the gross GHG emissions of an older, in-line reservoir (Polyfytos est. 1974) were also calculated, based on 2-year measurement data. The results show that the global warming potential (GWP) of the reservoirs is dictated by methane emissions; it minimizes during winter and spring and maximizes during summer and autumn. Hydroelectric energy production at Ilarion Reservoir results in 32 to 97 times less total CO₂ equivalent emissions in comparison to fossil fuels, while at Polyfytos Reservoir only 8 to 24 times less (based on gross emissions). It appears that the impact of a reservoir’s morphology on GHG emissions is more significant than that of a reservoir’s age.