Publications

13 May 2019

The 2019 Hydropower Status Report offers insights and trends on the hydropower sector.

The sixth edition of the report provides information and statistics on installed capacity and estimated generation by country and by region, as well as articles by five leading government ministers.

Key findings:

• More than 21.8 gigawatts (GW) of renewable hydroelectric capacity was put into operation in 2018.
• Electricity generation from hydropower projects achieved a record 4,200 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2018, the highest ever contribution from a renewable energy source, as worldwide installed hydropower capacity climbed to 1,292 GW, according to the report.
• China added the most capacity with the installation of 8,540 megawatts (MW), followed by Brazil (3,866 MW), Pakistan (2,487 MW), Turkey (1,085 MW), Angola (668 MW), Tajikistan (605 MW), Ecuador (556 MW), India (535 MW), Norway (419 MW) and Canada (401 MW).
• Brazil has now overtaken the United States as the second largest producer of hydroelectricity by installed capacity, after 3,055 MW was put into operation last year at the 11,000 MW Belo Monte complex in the country’s northeast.

Contributions from policy-makers

Government ministers from Canada, Indonesia, Nepal, Uganda and Uruguay contribute policy interventions, each emphasising the need for investment in renewable hydropower to help countries achieve sustainable development.

• Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources, Amarjeet Sohi, writes about industry efforts to build partnerships with indigenous communities and create long-term economic opportunities.
• Indonesia’s Minister of National Development Planning, Bambang P. Soemantri Brodjonegoro, explains how his country is committed to reducing GHG emissions by 29 per cent by 2030 through developing hydropower and other renewables.
• Nepal’s Minister of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation, Barsha Man Pun, writes that his government is aiming to attract foreign investment in hydropower while exploring regional energy interconnections.
• Uganda’s Minister of Energy and Minerals, Irene Nafuna Muloni, emphasises the need to raise investment capital for hydropower development as a way to widen electricity access and support socio-economic transformation.
• Uruguay’s Minister of Industry, Energy and Mining, Guillermo Moncecchi, reports on the strong complementarity between hydropower and other variable renewable energy sources.

PowerPoint

Download the PowerPoint of the 2019 Hydropower Status Report.

Media enquiries

Media requests should be directed to will.henley@hydropower.org

The International Hydropower Association’s Activity and Strategy Report for 2018-2019 provides an overview of our mission to advance sustainable hydropower.

The publication shares highlights from IHA's knowledge building and sustainability programmes, looking at our work to share strategies which strengthen the sector’s performance.

The report also previews the World Hydropower Congress taking place in Paris, 14-16 May 2019. Read the press release.

Knowledge building programmes:

• The status of hydropower: monitoring the sector
• Clean energy systems: highlighting the expansion of hydropower’s role
• Climate mitigation: assessing greenhouse gas emissions
• Climate resilience: developing a guide
• Green bonds: unlocking the market
• Hydropower benefits: better reporting
• Hydropower preparation facility: a model for sustainable projects
• Modernisation: building knowledge on innovation
• Operations and maintenance: advancing innovative strategies
• Regional interconnections: connecting hydropower
• River basin development: promoting collaboration
• Sediment management: identifying good practices

Sustainability programmes

• Supporting a suite of Hydropower Sustainability Tools
• Building sustainable hydropower capacity around the world
• Hydropower sustainability assessor training opportunities

Dans le présent Rapport d'activité et de stratégie 2017-2018, nous décrivons la mission de l'association, à savoir la promotion d'une hydroélectricité durable. Nous revenons sur les réalisations de l'année écoulée et définissons nos objectifs stratégiques pour l'avenir.

En las páginas de este informe sobre estrategia y actividades 2017-2018, explicamos la misión de la asociación para fomentar la energía hidroeléctrica sostenible. Analizamos los resultados del año anterior y nos marcamos unos objetivos estratégicos para el futuro.

Nas páginas deste Relatório de Atividades e Estratégia de 2017-2018, delineamos a missão da associação de promover a hidreletricidade sustentável. Analisamos as realizações do ano passado e definimos nossas metas estratégicas para o futuro.

在《2017-2018年活动和战略报告》中，我们概述了协会促进水力发电可持续发展的使命。我们回顾了过去一年的成就，并制定了我们未来的战略目标。

На страницах данного Отчета о деятельности и стратегии 2017–2018 мы излагаем миссию нашей ассоциации по развитию устойчивой гидроэнергетики. Мы анализируем достижения за прошлый год и формулируем стратегические цели на будущее.

24 May 2018

The 2018 Hydropower Status Report offers insights and trends on the hydropower sector.

Now in its fifth edition, the report provides information and statistics on installed capacity and estimated generation by country and by region, articles by leading energy and environment ministers, and results of a sector-wide survey on the future of hydropower.

Key findings:

• A record 4,185 terawatt hours (TWh) in electricity was generated from hydropower in 2017, avoiding up to 4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases as well as harmful pollutants.
• Worldwide hydropower installed capacity rose to 1,267 gigawatts (GW) in 2017, including 153 GW of pumped storage. During the year, 21.9 GW of capacity was added including 3.2 GW of pumped storage.
• Growth was fastest in East Asia and the Pacific, with 9.8 GW of capacity added in 2017, followed by South America (4.1 GW), South and Central Asia (3.3 GW), Europe (2.3 GW), Africa (1.9 GW) and North and Central America (0.5 GW).
• China is the world’s largest producer of hydropower, and accounted for nearly half of global added installed capacity, at 9.1 GW. It was followed by Brazil (3.4 GW), India (1.9 GW), Portugal (1.1 GW) and Angola (1.0 GW).
• 58.4 per cent of surveyed hydropower decision-makers and professionals expect to expand their company's installed capacity in the next three years, while 51.7 per cent of respondents expect to increase investments in hydropower over the next three years.

A clean source of electricity

The report publishes findings from a study of the greenhouse gas footprint of 500 large hydropower reservoirs. The research used a new tool to assess net emissions and found hydropower’s median emissions intensity to be just 18.5 gCO2-eq/kWh.

By generating electricity from hydropower instead of coal, in 2017 the world prevented up to 4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases – and avoided a 10 per cent rise in global emissions from fossil fuels and industry. It also avoided 148 million tonnes of air polluting particulates, 62 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide, and 8 million tonnes of nitrogen oxide from being emitted.

Contributions from policy-makers

Leading energy and environment ministers from Australia, Ethiopia, Sarawak, Malaysia, and Scotland, UK, have contributed to the 2018 report, explaining how investment in hydropower is supporting national development priorities and the clean energy transition:

• Australia - Minister for the Environment and Energy, Hon Josh Frydenberg MP
• Ethiopia - Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Hon Seleshi Bekele
• Sarawak, Malaysia - Chief Minister Yab Datuk Patinggi Dr Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg
• Scotland, United Kingdom - Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, Paul Wheelhouse MSP

Media enquiries

Media requests should be directed to communications@hydropower.org

Infographics

Download infographics from the report here: www.hydropower.org/keyfacts2018

DOWNLOAD REPORT

24 May 2018

The 2018 Hydropower Status Report offers insights and trends on the hydropower sector.

Now in its fifth edition, the report provides information and statistics on installed capacity and estimated generation by country and by region, articles by leading energy and environment ministers, and results of a sector-wide survey on the future of hydropower.

Key findings:

• A record 4,185 terawatt hours (TWh) in electricity was generated from hydropower in 2017, avoiding up to 4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases as well as harmful pollutants.
• Worldwide hydropower installed capacity rose to 1,267 gigawatts (GW) in 2017, including 153 GW of pumped storage. During the year, 21.9 GW of capacity was added including 3.2 GW of pumped storage.
• Growth was fastest in East Asia and the Pacific, with 9.8 GW of capacity added in 2017, followed by South America (4.1 GW), South and Central Asia (3.3 GW), Europe (2.3 GW), Africa (1.9 GW) and North and Central America (0.5 GW).
• China is the world’s largest producer of hydropower, and accounted for nearly half of global added installed capacity, at 9.1 GW. It was followed by Brazil (3.4 GW), India (1.9 GW), Portugal (1.1 GW) and Angola (1.0 GW).
• 58.4 per cent of surveyed hydropower decision-makers and professionals expect to expand their company's installed capacity in the next three years, while 51.7 per cent of respondents expect to increase investments in hydropower over the next three years.

A clean source of electricity

The report publishes findings from a study of the greenhouse gas footprint of 500 large hydropower reservoirs. The research used a new tool to assess net emissions and found hydropower’s median emissions intensity to be just 18.5 gCO2-eq/kWh.

By generating electricity from hydropower instead of coal, in 2017 the world prevented up to 4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gases – and avoided a 10 per cent rise in global emissions from fossil fuels and industry. It also avoided 148 million tonnes of air polluting particulates, 62 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide, and 8 million tonnes of nitrogen oxide from being emitted.

Contributions from policy-makers

Leading energy and environment ministers from Australia, Ethiopia, Sarawak, Malaysia, and Scotland, UK, have contributed to the 2018 report, explaining how investment in hydropower is supporting national development priorities and the clean energy transition:

• Australia - Minister for the Environment and Energy, Hon Josh Frydenberg MP
• Ethiopia - Minister of Water, Irrigation and Electricity, Hon Seleshi Bekele
• Sarawak, Malaysia - Chief Minister Yab Datuk Patinggi Dr Abang Haji Abdul Rahman Zohari Bin Tun Datuk Abang Haji Openg
• Scotland, United Kingdom - Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy, Paul Wheelhouse MSP

Media enquiries

Media requests should be directed to communications@hydropower.org

Infographics

Download infographics from the report here: www.hydropower.org/keyfacts2018

An additional 78,000 MW in clean energy storage capacity is expected to come online by 2030 from hydropower reservoirs fitted with pumped storage technology, according to this working paper from the International Hydropower Association (IHA).

Below are some of the paper's key messages and findings.

• Pumped storage hydropower (PSH), 'the world’s water battery’, accounts for over 94% of installed global energy storage capacity, and retains several advantages such as lifetime cost, levels of sustainability and scale. The existing 161,000 MW of pumped storage capacity supports power grid stability, reducing overall system costs and sector emissions.
• A bottom up analysis of energy stored in the world’s pumped storage reservoirs using IHA’s stations database estimates total storage to be up to 9,000 GWh.
• PSH operations and technology are adapting to the changing power system requirements incurred by variable renewable energy (VRE) sources. Variable-speed and ternary PSH systems allow for faster and wider operating ranges, providing additional flexibility at all timescales, enabling higher penetrations of VRE at lower system costs.
• As traditional revenue streams become more unpredictable and markets are slow to appropriately reward flexibility, PSH needs to secure new sources of reliable and long term revenue in order to attract investment, particularly in liberalised energy markets.
• Driven by the increasing penetration of wind and solar, reduced dispatchable generation and the need for greater grid flexibility, an additional 78,000 MW or an increase of nearly 50% of PSH capacity is expected to be commissioned by 2030. This could further increase with the right policy settings and market rules.

Read the press release

Learn more about pumped storage hydropower

IHA's Activity and Strategy Report 2017–2018 outlines the association's mission and activities to advance sustainable hydropower.

The report features:

• Introduction to IHA: summarising our vision, mission and values
• IHA's strategy and action to build and share knowledge
• Benefits of membership and knowledge networks
• Knowledge building programmes: how we are supporting the hydropower sector
• Sustainability: the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol and related tools
• Awards: details on the IHA Blue Planet Prize, Mosonyi Award and Young Researcher of the Year prize
• World Hydropower Congress: a look back on Addis Ababa in May 2017
• Membership directory: meet our diverse community of members, who are active in over 100 countries

Translations are available in Chinese, French, Portuguese, Russian and Spanish.

How useful are these translated versions? Let us know by voting in our online poll.

Read the news release.

The 2017 Hydropower Status Report provides a comprehensive overview of recent developments and trends in the sector around the world.

The report includes:

• an overview of regional trends, highlighting new capacity added in 2016
• detailed regional analysis of new capacity installations, projects in the pipeline and policy development
• maps and data visualisations of deployment, generation, potentials, and more
• a new map and infographic on long-distance transmission development
• 17 new country profiles
• analyis of key topics including:
• climate resilience
• greenhouse gas emissions
• green bonds
• electricity storage
• multipurpose reservoir
• long-distance transmission
• operations and maintenance
• sediment managament and more
• sustainability assessment

The report is compiled from data driven by our hydropower database of the world's hydropower stations and companies, built in collaboration with regulators, ministries and electricity associations, as well as the world’s station owners and operators. It also incorporates insights from our annual issues survey, which was fielded to a broad cross-section of hydropower professionals in December 2016.

Please contact us to enquire about membership.

Better Hydro: Compendium of Case Studies 2017 presents examples of excellence in specific aspects of sustainable hydropower development. The case studies have been compiled through a collaboration between the International Hydropower Association and the World Bank Group.

The collection of 34 case studies is based on assessments carried out under the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol, a tool developed through multi-stakeholder consensus that measures the sustainability of projects across a range of social, environmental, economic and technical considerations.

Topic case studies focus on specific aspects of development, such as ‘indigenous people’, ‘cultural heritage’, ‘economic viability’, and ‘water quality’ (23 are covered in total). In addition, the publication features five project-wide case studies that cover a broad geographical scope and focus on different stages of project development. Finally, six more general initiatives demonstrating innovative local and regional approaches are also detailed.

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This report provides an overview of the discussions that took place at the 2017 World Hydropower Congress in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, under the auspices of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and the African Union Commission. It includes the speeches that were delivered in the high-level segments of the conference, as well as summaries of the presentations and exchanges that happened during the technical and business segments.

This report also gives us an opportunity to extend our warm thanks to the event's organising partners, and to the additional fifty organisations which took part in shaping and supporting the programme, which extended over five days.

The 2017 World Hydropower Congress Handbook is the essential guide to the event, including full details of the programme, speakers, venue, facilities and study tours.

The handbook also includes special features on hydropower and interconnections in Africa, sustainable development, long-distance transmission and risk management.

More than just an event guide, the handbook is a directory of experts on a range of hydropower topics. It features:

• Forewords by Ethiopia's minister for water, irrigation and electricity, African Union commssioner for infrastructure and energy, UNECA executive secretary, IHA chief executive, GEIDCO chairman, and World Bank Group vice president for sustainable development
• Profiles of over 100 speakers participating in the congress
• An overview of each and every session, with a background to topics
• Special topic feature articles
• Details of post-congress study tours, which visit some of Africa's technical developments and cultural sites
• Information about the range of organisations involved in creating the congress
• Venue maps and floor plans
• General information for delegates

The International Hydropower Association gathers statistics and monitors deployment and use throughout the year. 2017 Key Trends in Hydropower reveals that 31.5 GW of new hydropower capacity was added around the world in 2016. The figure includes 6.4 GW of pumped storage – nearly twice the amount commissioned the previous year.

The briefing also analyses the most significant recent developments in the hydropower sector worldwide.

The briefing includes graphical information on:

• Hydropower capacity commissioned in 2016 by region
• Global total installed hydropower capacity at the end of 2016, broken down by leading countries
• Worldwide distribution of pumped storage capacity at the end of 2016
• Hydropower's contribution by region in terms of installed capacity, generation and technical potential

2017 Key Trends in Hydropower precedes the 2017 Hydropower Status Report, which will provide more in-depth analysis by region and will be published in May 2017 at the 2017 World Hydropower Congress.

Hydropower, as an affordable, reliable and sustainable source of electricity, has played an important role in the growth and industrialisation of many emerging market economies such as Laos, Kenya, Sarawak (Malaysia), China (1980s and 90s), and Brazil, to list just a few.

Nevertheless, the hydropower potential of many emerging market countries remains undeveloped due to the difficulties surrounding project bankability, particularly the credit risk of domestic offtakers, and a risk reward imbalance in the eyes of investors.

The governments and state-owned utilities of some of these countries may have the option of exporting hydropower production to a neighbouring country for the development of such potential. Opportunities for export can offer many benefits when compared with a hydropower project established exclusively for domestic production, but also present unique risks.

This briefing explores the opportunities and the challenges of power trade for the hydropower sector.

With growing populations and livelihoods, managing freshwater will be one of the major tasks for society in the foreseeable future. Infrastructure including hydropower facilities will play an increasing role in multipurpose freshwater management.

This briefing describes examples of projects in Tajikistan and Iceland, where climate resilience has been incorporated into the modernisation of existing hydropower facilities.

These case studies illustrate how organisations worldwide have considered the risks associated with a more variable and extreme climate in the modernisation of their projects. The briefing also outlines the need for the development of industry guidance on best practice in climate risk management in hydropower operations.