The 2017 Hydropower Status Report was launched at the opening of the World Hydropower Congress in Addis Ababa on Tuesday 9 May. It offers the latest insights into global developments in the sector, as well as in-depth regional analysis and key trends.

The report is available for download here.

The report introduces new features, including a map of major transmission development worldwide and 17 new country profiles, as well as a broader range of key topic analysis. It looks in depth at key trends, including new initiatives to manage the risk profile of hydropower, reporting tools for the greenhouse gas footprint of reservoirs, the growing focus on climate resilience among financing institutions, and more.

The report presents the latest global development statistics by country and by region. In the past year, a total of 31.5 GW of new installed capacity has been added worldwide. This figure includes 6.4 GW of new pumped storage, nearly double the amount of the previous year, while a further 20 GW is currently under construction around the world. This development can largely be put down to the role hydropower plays in balancing other renewable sources, such as solar and wind.

“The 2017 Hydropower Status Report reveals steady growth in hydropower development over the past year. This is indicative of the increasingly important role it plays in providing flexible support to other renewable energy systems, as countries around the world take steps to meet the carbon reduction goals of the Paris Agreement,” said Richard Taylor, chief executive of IHA.

The report is compiled using data from IHA’s global hydropower database, which has been developed in close collaboration with regulators, ministries and electricity associations, as well as station owners and operators.

Download the report here.