Editing Small hydro (section)

== Policy and Regulation ==
Government support of small hydro differs by country. To support renewable energy policy in Japan, the government promotes the development of community-based SHP projects with high [[Feed-in tariff|feed-in tariffs]] and low interest rates for loans.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Alam |first1=Zafar |last2=Watanabe |first2=Yoshinobu |last3=Hanif |first3=Shazia |last4=Sato |first4=Tatsuro |last5=Fujimoto |first5=Tokihiko |date=2021-06-07 |title=Community-Based Business on Small Hydropower (SHP) in Rural Japan: A Case Study on a Community Owned SHP Model of Ohito Agricultural Cooperative |journal=Energies |language=en |volume=14 |issue=11 |pages=3349 |doi=10.3390/en14113349 |doi-access=free |issn=1996-1073 }}</ref> In 2022, Bosnia and Herzegovina's parliament banned small hydro projects up to 10 MWh in energy generation capacity, citing environmental harm.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Kurtic |first=Azem |date=2022-06-07 |title=Bosnia's Federation to Ban Small Hydropower Plants |url=https://balkaninsight.com/2022/06/07/bosnias-federation-to-ban-small-hydropower-plants/#:~:text=Activists%20argue%20that%20the%20construction%20of%20small,biodiversity%20and%20causes%20problems%20for%20local%20residents.&text=In%202021,%20the%20119%20small%20hydropower%20plants,or%20two%20people%20each%20because%20of%20automation. |access-date=2025-03-20 |website=Balkan Insight |language=en-US}}</ref> Lack of consistency in small hydropower definitions and lack of research of socio-environmental impacts has created variance surrounding policy-making and licensing decisions. Around two-thirds of countries do not require a formal environmental licensing process to construct and operate small hydropower projects.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Couto |first1=Thiago BA |last2=Olden |first2=Julian D |date=2018 |title=Global proliferation of small hydropower plants – science and policy |url=https://esajournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/fee.1746 |journal=Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment |language=en |volume=16 |issue=2 |pages=91–100 |doi=10.1002/fee.1746 |bibcode=2018FrEE...16...91C |issn=1540-9309|url-access=subscription }}</ref>

In India, SHPs under 25 MW do not require an [[Environmental impact assessment|Environmental Impact Assessment]] and instead have a Detailed Project Report (DPR). These reports provide basic information to policy and decision makers, speeding up timelines for small hydro developments. Planning and approval processes under India's DPRs do not require community engagement nor consultation.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Jumani |first1=Suman |last2=Rao |first2=Shishir |last3=Machado |first3=Siddarth |last4=Prakash |first4=Anup |date=2017-05-01 |title=Big concerns with small projects: Evaluating the socio-ecological impacts of small hydropower projects in India |journal=Ambio |language=en |volume=46 |issue=4 |pages=500–511 |doi=10.1007/s13280-016-0855-9 |issn=1654-7209 |pmc=5385668 |pmid=28074405|bibcode=2017Ambio..46..500J }}</ref>