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(In NewNet on June 9, 2010): Hydropower is the world’s largest renewable source of power generation, accounting for around 20 per cent of global electricity supply, a new report said. The world’s installed capacity of hydropower increased to 888.8GW in 2009 from 695.8GW in 2001, registering a compound annual growth rate of 3.1 per cent, new figures in Global Data’s Global Small Hydro Power Market Analysis and Forecasts to 2020 showed. Cumulative additional installed capacity of small hydropower is expected to reach 140GW in 2015 and 201GW in 2020, it forecasted.
Annual installed capacity surged during 2004 mainly due to the rise in new installations in China. In addition, rising interest in the sector has led to increased government support policies which will derive installations in many countries.
Despite fossil fuels dominating electricity generation across the world, more than 60 countries use hydropower for meeting more than half of their electricity needs. Advantages of the energy source include its ability to instantaneously respond to changing electricity demand, water management and flood control. But as hydropower is a mature technology, it has witnessed a modest growth rate, said the report. It said small and mini hydropower generation plants have a relatively short gestation period of between two and five years, are easier to construct than larger operations and give a relatively higher rate of return on investment due to the low capital investment needed.
Furthermore, small hydropower installations do not involve the building of large dams and reservoirs, and can be constructed in areas with small streams of water and small- to medium-sized rivers. Large hydropower plants, however, usually have a gestation period of about seven years and require rigorous surveys, investigations and designs, which are not necessary for constructing a small and mini hydro plant. Small hydro emerges as one of the most promising solutions for ensuring a reliable and affordable energy supply in the long term. |
