2025 Board candidate
Frederic Ribieras
CEO, GE Vernova
Hydropower stands as a cornerstone in the energy transition, crucial for achieving global electrification, decarbonization, and energy security goals. As the largest source of large-scale energy storage and a key stabilizer for the grid, hydropower integrates seamlessly with wind and solar power. Hydropower produces more renewable energy than all other sources combined; however, its fleet, with an installed capacity exceeding 1,400 GW, is aging, with 40% being over 40 years old. Therefore, there is a pressing need to upgrade infrastructure to prolong operational life and boost performance. Achieving net zero necessitates doubling hydropower capacity by 2050—a target progressing too slowly. To overcome these challenges, it’s imperative to elevate hydropower to its rightful place alongside other generating sources in the energy transition, as a major source of renewable and dispatchable energy with reliable storage capability for generations to come.
As GE Vernova's Hydro Power CEO, I am dedicated to collaborating with industry leaders and the IHA to advocate for the strategic development of hydropower. With a longstanding presence worldwide and a global experience, our extensive involvement in diverse hydropower projects over the decades enables us to offer valuable insights into optimizing hydropower systems and addressing regional needs effectively. Additionally, being part of GE Vernova grants us unique access to high-level key stakeholders, allowing us to assist them in shaping their overall energy transition strategy and understanding of the energy sector, including effective integration of hydropower's interactions with other energy sources and grid systems.
I am submitting my candidacy for the IHA Board to reinforce the importance of hydropower in sustainable energy solutions, and ensure our perspectives contribute to shaping industry-wide initiatives. Together, we can harness the full potential of hydropower to create a sustainable future—a vision I am committed to realizing through my candidacy.
