Modelling the Potential Effects of Climate Change on the Grande Dixence Hydro-Electricity Scheme, Switzerland

For mountain communities which depend upon glacierfed hydro-electric power schemes as an important source of energy, climate change poses a considerable threat. However, relatively few studies have examined this threat by investigating the joint impacts on meltwater production and energy use. In this paper, a simple water-balance model is used to combine the results of ice-melt and energy-demand models to estimate the water level for the Grande Dixence reservoir, Switzerland. The potential impact of climate change on the scheme is also assessed using a regional climate-change scenario.