Applicability of multicriteria decision aid to sustainable hydropower

EU directives RESD (2001/77/EC) and WFD (2000/60/EC) can be considered as partially conflicting. Achieving a good qualitative and quantitative status of waters, what presumes non-deterioration principle of the existing ecological status in line with WFD, is conflicting with the construction of new hydropower plants that are promoting renewable energies, what is in line with RESD. Several projects have been developed in order to minimize conflicts between the two Directives, often providing a list of key criteria to be taken into consideration when deciding on the impact minimization of new ones or certification to existing plants. One example is CH2OICE, aiming at developing a technically and economically feasible certification procedure for hydropower generation facilities of high environmental standard. This paper aims to evaluate applicability of multicriteria decision aid to decision makers during the design process, decisions on site selection and plant technical and operational parameters, based on both economic and environmental criteria selected. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.