The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol was presented by Douglas Smith, sustainability specialist at the International Hydropower Association (IHA), yesterday at the Conference on Hydropower Status and Prospects in Poland and the European Union, in Warsaw, Poland.

“This event was an excellent opportunity for us to present the Protocol to a wide range of hydropower stakeholders in Europe.  The Protocol, an important global tool to assess the sustainability of hydropower projects, is highly applicable throughout Europe.” said Douglas Smith, sustainability specialist, IHA

The Conference was part of the 1st International Energy Trade Fair RENEXPO Poland taking place at the EXPO XXI Center Warsaw, from 26th-28th October 2011.

Mr Smith’s presentation, The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol:  An EU-wide framework to promote best practice, was made before an audience of around 40 stakeholders engaged in hydropower development in Poland and across the European Union, including representatives of policy-making organisations, NGOs, and regulators.

The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol was officially launched at the 2011 IHA World Congress on Advancing Sustainable Hydropower, held in Iguassu, Brazil, in June.

Since the launch of the Protocol eight companies have become IHA Sustainability Partners.  As IHA Sustainability Partners, these companies receive training on the content and application of the Protocol and two Protocol assessments, one of which is carried out by an accredited assessor as an official Protocol assessment.  These eight are: EDF, E.ON, Itaipu Binacional, Hydro Tasmania, Landsvirkjun, Manitoba Hydro, Sarawak Energy, and Statkraft.

IHA Sustainability Partners in the European Union (EU) are participating in Hydro4LIFE, a three year €1.28 million project to promote the adoption of the Protocol, and consolidate the knowledge base on hydropower sustainability performance, within the EU.

The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol offers a consistent, globally-applicable method of assessing performance in approximately twenty vital topics of the sustainability of hydropower facilities, depending on the stage of the assessment.  The topics cover the three principal pillars of sustainability: social, economic, and environmental.

Protocol topics include downstream flow regimes, indigenous peoples, biodiversity, infrastructure safety, resettlement, water quality, and economic viability, reflecting the diversity of expertise among those involved in the multi-stakeholder Protocol development process.

“Working with IHA on the Protocol has already proven to be a very effective way for WWF to reach a broad group of utilities, investors and regulators.” said Dr Joerg Hartmann, Water Security Leader, WWF International.

The Protocol can be used during all stages of hydropower project development: early stage, preparation, implementation and operation.  It has been designed to be used to assess the sustainability of hydropower projects anywhere in the world.

Based on objective analysis and documented evidence, the results of an assessment of the facility using the Protocol are presented in a standardised structure and diagram, allowing transparent communication and rapid interpretation.

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Visit the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol website

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