The International Hydropower Association (IHA) reports that in 2016 31,5 GW of new hydropower was commissioned worldwide. China was the leader in terms of new capacity with 11,7 GW, followed by Brazil with 6,4 GW. By comparison, IHA’s 2016 Report indicates that about 33 GW of new hydropower was put into operation in 2015.
At the end of 2016 the world’s total installed hydropower capacity reached 1 246 GW. This included 150 GW of pumped storage, of which 6,4 was added in 2016.
“The latest data shows that the hydropower sector is continuing to grow steadily across the world and we are seeing a renaissance in pumped storage development”- says Richard Taylor, chief executive of IHA. “This is indicative of hydropower’s increasingly important role in providing flexible support to renewable energy systems, as countries around the world take steps to meet the carbon reduction goals set out in the Paris Agreement.”
The briefing also outlines the most significant current trends affecting hydropower such as increased integration of renewables to support grid stability and the new priorities related to smart modernization and digitalization of assets.
You could find more detailed information on the Key trends in Hydropower 2017 here .
Source: hydroworld.com