Reporting hydropower benefits
The challenge
The wide-ranging benefits of hydropower are often misunderstood or under-reported.
The 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 we were established in 1995, IHA has been building and sharing knowledge on the benefits of hydropower. Building a community and creating a platform for knowledge in the hydropower sector have been central to our efforts.
Prior to World Hydropower Congress in 2017, we collaborated with the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and EDF on research to identify, quantify and maximise these benefits.
We are now working to provide a framework for collecting evidence on these power and non-power hydropower benefits.
Throughout 2018, we will undertake a scoping study to quantify impacts at a sectoral level, and are developing a reporting template to identify and quantify them at a project level. This template will be presented at the next Congress in May 2019.
These efforts will help the hydropower sector to better assess and articulate benefits which contribute to the realisation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals, particularly in developing countries and emerging economies.
Recent activities
In May 2017, during the World Hydropower Congress in Ethiopia, we organised a focus session on the benefits of hydropower, where the critical importance of identification and quantification was recognised.
In June 2017, we published a briefing paper for members on ‘Identifying, quantifying and maximising the multipurpose benefits of hydropower’.
Throughout 2017, we continued to publish content on IHA’s website, hydropower.org, and social media, on the value of hydropower, including blogs and case studies.
Join the network
The Hydropower Benefits Knowledge Network provides opportunities to share information on the many benefits created by hydropower. Members wishing to share experiences and contribute to the forthcoming project reporting template should consider joining the Hydropower Benefits Knowledge Network.
Contact us
For any questions, please contact IHA analyst Cristina Diez Santos at cristina.diez-santos@hydropower.org
Latest associated content
-
Benefits of hydropower
Single and multipurpose hydropower facilities can make substantial contributions at local, regional and national levels.
Type:Programme itemDate:13 October 2016 -
The role of multipurpose hydropower in a water-stressed world: World Energy Congress 2016
The 23rd World Energy Congress on 9–13 October in Istanbul, Turkey, will feature a discussion on hydropower’s role in a water-stressed world.
Type:Blog postDate:14 September 2016 -
CEO interview: Eric Martel, Hydro-Québec
Eric Martel is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Hydro-Québec, having taken up the role in July 2015.
Type:Blog postDate:23 August 2016 -
IHA expands knowledge networks initiative
23 August 2016
The International Hydropower Association is expanding its knowledge networks initiative to include eight topics identified as the most challenging for the sector.
Type:News postDate:23 August 2016 -
What role can hydropower play in new energy markets and growing economies?
Hydropower projects can bring significant benefits to developing and emerging economies, providing essential services such as electricity generation, freshwater management and climate adaptation.
Type:Blog postDate:18 April 2016
