total_installed_capacity_.jpg More than 21.8 gigawatts (GW) of renewable hydroelectric capacity was put into operation in 2018, according to the 2019 Hydropower Status Report. Five leading Government Ministers from Canada, Indonesia, Nepal, Uganda and Uruguay contribute policy interventions to the 2019 Hydropower Status Report, each emphasising the need for investment in renewable hydropower to help countries achieve sustainable development. 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, 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). top_ten_countries_by_new_installed_capacity_.jpg 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. The Hydropower Status Report, published by the International Hydropower Association (IHA), is an authoritative guide to key trends in hydropower development, featuring cutting-edge policy and sector analysis and latest capacity and generation data from more than 200 countries and territories. In the report:
In addition, the 2019 edition of the Hydropower Status Report presents research into the multiple services provided by hydropower, the importance of building resilience to climate change, and the role of digitalisation and regional interconnections in bringing efficiencies to clean energy generation. With pumped hydropower storage capacity reaching 160.3 GW in 2018 (up 1.9 GW on 2017), the report also calls for the market framework and regulatory treatment of this clean ‘water battery’ technology to be re-evaluated, especially in liberalised markets. pumped_storage_capacity_-_no_small_writing_.jpg In total, 48 countries worldwide added hydropower capacity in 2018. The report shows that East Asia and the Pacific once again added the most capacity, with 9.2 GW installed last year. This was followed by South America (4.9 GW), South and Central Asia (4.0 GW), Europe (2.2 GW), Africa (1.0 GW) and North and Central America (0.6 GW). new_installed_capacity_by_region_.jpg In the foreword to the report, IHA Chief Executive Richard Taylor and IHA President Ken Adams write: “Four years on since the Sustainable Development Goals were agreed at the United Nations in 2015, governments increasingly recognise hydropower as playing a vital role in national strategies for delivering affordable and clean energy, managing freshwater, combatting climate change and improving livelihoods.” “Through the pages of this report, we highlight tools, trends and topics of direct interest to hydropower developers, operators, investors, governments and, ultimately, local communities. These subjects range from efforts to assess the benefits of hydropower, through to financing pumped storage projects and adapting operations to new digital technology.” The report is released ahead of the World Hydropower Congress in Paris, 14-16 May 2019, which draws more than 700 delegates from over 70 countries to the French capital. The high-level event is organised by IHA in collaboration with more than 40 partner organisations. The event will bring together a broad spectrum of delegates interested in hydropower development, including leaders from business, government, civil society, social and environmental NGOs, local communities, the United Nations, financial institutions and academia. |
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