LAUSR

Abstract Hydropower plants in Poland currently use only 19% of the river’s energy potential. Development of hydropower is limited by environmental regulations as well as by economic grounds. From the environmental point of view, it is desirable to build small hydropower plants integrated into the local landscape. This paper presents results of the research aimed at estimating the amount of energy that could be produced in the case of small hydroelectric power plants on weirs existing on the Tyśmienica River. There is also a legal framework that should be adapted at hydropower development. It was calculated that the technical capacity of the small hydropower plants that could be built on 4 existing weirs, is 0.131 MW. These power plants could produce 786 MWh of electricity per year. The economic efficiency of this production is currently difficult to assess, because a new support system for renewable energy sources is currently being implemented, which will be a decisive factor for entrepreneurs. It should be borne in mind that potential investments will be made in protected areas within the Natura 2000 network, which may limit their constructing or impose the obligation to assess their impact on selected environmental elements. Location within the protective area does not eliminate such investments, especially when solutions with the least possible environmental impact are used.