Hydropower is very important for the world as it moves toward using cleaner energy. Right now, it makes up about 16% of all the electricity we use globally. That's a big deal since hydropower produces more than 4,300 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity each year, making it the largest source of renewable energy.
Less Carbon Emissions: Hydropower plants release about 70% less carbon dioxide (CO₂) than fossil fuels when making electricity. This means they are better for the environment.
Energy Storage and Reliability: Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) systems are great at storing energy. They provide about 95% of all the energy storage capacity that utilities use.
Job Creation and Savings: The hydropower industry provides over 1.5 million jobs around the world. Plus, it offers electricity at low prices. The cost of electricity from hydropower usually ranges from 60 per megawatt-hour (MWh), which is very competitive with fossil fuels.
Capacity: By the end of 2022, the world had more than 1,300 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower capacity.
Growth: Countries that are still developing, especially in Asia and Africa, have started to invest a lot more in hydropower. This is expected to lead to a growth rate of 3-5% in hydropower capacity each year until 2030.
In summary, hydropower not only works well with other renewable energy sources like solar and wind but also provides a strong and reliable way to help reduce pollution in the energy sector. This shows how important hydropower is in tackling environmental issues.
Hydropower is very important for the world as it moves toward using cleaner energy. Right now, it makes up about 16% of all the electricity we use globally. That's a big deal since hydropower produces more than 4,300 terawatt-hours (TWh) of electricity each year, making it the largest source of renewable energy.
Less Carbon Emissions: Hydropower plants release about 70% less carbon dioxide (CO₂) than fossil fuels when making electricity. This means they are better for the environment.
Energy Storage and Reliability: Pumped storage hydropower (PSH) systems are great at storing energy. They provide about 95% of all the energy storage capacity that utilities use.
Job Creation and Savings: The hydropower industry provides over 1.5 million jobs around the world. Plus, it offers electricity at low prices. The cost of electricity from hydropower usually ranges from 60 per megawatt-hour (MWh), which is very competitive with fossil fuels.
Capacity: By the end of 2022, the world had more than 1,300 gigawatts (GW) of hydropower capacity.
Growth: Countries that are still developing, especially in Asia and Africa, have started to invest a lot more in hydropower. This is expected to lead to a growth rate of 3-5% in hydropower capacity each year until 2030.
In summary, hydropower not only works well with other renewable energy sources like solar and wind but also provides a strong and reliable way to help reduce pollution in the energy sector. This shows how important hydropower is in tackling environmental issues.