Hydroelectric Power Worldwide

Discover our country and regional profiles recording hydropower progress worldwide.

Africa

Africa is home to about 17% of the earth’s population yet accounts for only 4% of power globally. Approximately 570 plus million people do not have access to electrical energy in Africa.

As the United Nations predicts, Africa’s population will increase twice in 2050, which means electricity demand will also increase.

Hydroelectric power is the continent’s primary energy source with an installed capacity of 38 GW minimum, and with 971 MW supplemented last 2020. That accounts for more than 70% of the share of renewable electricity and roughly 16% of the electricity share total.

In the future, the percentage share of hydropower is expected to increase to over 23% by 2040. That is following the efforts of low-carbon transition and universal access.

Europe

In 2020, hydropower capacity increased by 3 GW in Europe because of the newly commissioned hydropower plants in Albania, Norway, and Turkey.

Generation from hydroelectric power almost reached 4% more in 2020 compared to 2019. That is because of the increased production in Iberia and Nordics.

Across 27 countries in Europe, their goal was achieved in 2020 when all renewables created more electrical power than hydrocarbon materials. European regions reached the milestone through continued progress in solar and wind generation, which is predicted to triple in 2030.

Hydropower contributed about 13% of the total electricity created, playing a huge role in Europe’s energy mix. Developments in grid interconnection and pumped-storage hydroelectric power projects were done in the previous year to ensure the energy system was flexible and resilient.

Pacific and East Asia

Fossil fuels remain to contribute the largest share of Pacific and East Asian regions’ generation mix. However, due to the pandemic, coal generation received the most impact in demand reductions in 2019.

The gained momentum of dispossessing fossil fuel production continued until 2020 as more and more countries took oaths to attain carbon neutrality.

Japan has a target to reach net-zero greenhouse emissions by 2050. Also, they pledged to reduce emissions by at least 40% in 2030. Also, South Korea promised to discontinue or end coal finance to achieve net-zero emissions in 2050. Moreover, China publicly announced strategies to attain carbon neutrality by 2060.

The country had 13.76 GW added hydropower capacity from their Jixi project, which is the most extensive pumped storage they have by maximum capacity. Not only that, but an additional 1.2 GW was supplemented as well.