Reporting hydropower benefits
The challenge
The wide-ranging benefits of hydropower are often misunderstood or under-reported.
Benefits of hydropower include flexible energy generation and storage, as well as reducing dependence on fossil fuels.
Benefits to local communities include flood protection and water supply for domestic and commercial use, as well as opportunities for employment, education and recreation. Hydropower facilities also provide a boost to national economic growth through trade, transport and tourism.
Environmental benefits include pollution control and reduction of carbon emissions. Hydropower can also boost food security with a reliable source of water for irrigation.
These benefits are, however, often under-reported, and companies struggle to collect, quantify and share information on them. This is partially due to non-power related benefits being difficult to measure.
The absence of an adequate framework to define and quantify these benefits makes it difficult for society to evaluate them.
Our strategy and action
IHA supports its members to articulate the multipurpose benefits of hydropower.
Since IHA was first established, we have been building and sharing knowledge on the benefits of hydropower.
Our hydropower benefits work programme highlights the benefits which are not always built into the design of projects, but can be leveraged from them. Opportunities for non-power benefits should be evaluated and implemented in dialogue with affected communities.
We have been collaborating with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa, the International Finance Corporation, the World Bank and several IHA members on research initiatives. These initiatives are focused on how we can identify and quantify impacts and benefit sharing mechanisms to better assess and articulate how hydropower projects can contribute to the realisation of the SDGs.
Our ongoing work looks at methods of identifying and quantifying of the benefits of hydropower development at country and regional levels, as well as best practices to provide local communities with hydropower benefits.
Latest associated content
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Sustainability at the core of IHA’s new strategy and work plan
The International Hydropower Association (IHA) is embarking on an ambitious new strategy and work plan to support socially and environmentally responsible hydropower projects.
Type:News postDate:22 September 2017 -
White paper outlines seven steps to boost France's hydropower
Three French energy associations, representing hydropower producers across France, have described seven steps they believe can boost France's hydropower sector.
Type:News postDate:18 July 2017 -
Better Hydro: Environmental and social issues management at Chaglla, Peru
This case study is featured in Better Hydro: Compendium of Case Studies 2017, which highlights examples of good practice in hydropower sustainability across all aspects of project development.
Type:Blog postDate:17 July 2017 -
Identifying, quantifying and maximising the multiple benefits of hydropower
Hydropower continues to be a catalyst for growth around the world as it remains the dominant form of renewable energy, having contributed over 16 per cent of the globe’s electricity production in 2016.
Type:Blog postDate:27 June 2017 -
Guest blog: More water storage needed for a sustainable future
Global declines in water storage are increasingly troubling. With greater hydrological variability due to climate change, more storage will be vital to provide the same level of security of water, food and energy.
Type:Blog postDate:8 June 2017
