Sustainable hydropower | The global voice
Sustainable hydropower remains at the heart of the International Hydropower Association’s mission. Eddie Rich, CEO of the IHA, discusses how the sector has evolved, the importance of adhering to sustainability standards, and the critical role hydropower plays in tackling climate change, supporting renewable energy transitions, and mitigating extreme weather events. With global targets to double hydropower capacity by 2050, Rich highlights the need for policy reforms, incentivisation, and international cooperation to ensure sustainable growth
IWP&DC: Would you agree that sustainable hydropower is the cornerstone upon which the IHA was built, and how has this changed since?
Above: Eddie Rich, CEO of the International Hydropower Association, says a notable IHA achievement last year, and a crucial step forward, was the launch of the Global Alliance for Pumped Storage during COP29 in Azerbaijan
Below: Tajikistan’s Sebzor hydropower project was the world’s first project to be certified against the independent Hydropower Sustainability Standard in March 2023. (Photo courtesy of Hydropower Sustainability Alliance)
Eddie Rich: Yes. As the global voice for sustainable hydropower, IHA members commit the very bold statement for an industry organisation that “going forward, the only acceptable hydropower is sustainable hydropower”. We therefore represent the progressive end of the sector and hold our members to high standards and require them to demonstrate that commitment. The International Hydropower Association (IHA) was founded on 16 November 1995. In the quarter of a century since, the hydropower sector has seen tremendous growth – doubling in size from 625GW to more than 1300GW today. With this growth has come greater recognition that
hydropower projects can and should be delivered according to fundamental principles of sustainability – working with sensitivity to nature and bringing benefits to society.
Over the years, IHA has played a leading role in bringing together stakeholders to share perspectives and build and share knowledge about international good practice in hydropower development.
What are the key characteristics of a sustainable hydropower project? IHA has played a leading role in the development of what constitutes good and best practice in hydropower development; encompassed by the Hydropower Sustainability Standard, a global certification scheme managed by the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance, aligned with World Bank and IFC performance standards and supported by the Climate Bonds Initiative through hydropower sector-specific criteria. The Standard covers 12 topics including water quality, biodiversity, resettlement, the impact on indigenous communities and climate resilience. The Hydropower Sustainability Standard is used for certifying the sustainability performance of hydropower projects around the world. Through our partnership with the Hydropower Sustainability Alliance, we provide access to training, guidance and sustainable hydropower assessors to developers looking to create new and modernise hydropower facilities. This is not just about doing the right thing. It is about access to finance, more streamlined licensing and permitting and delivering projects with less risk. Alignment and certification against the Standard is good business.
What can policymakers do to incentivise sustainable hydropower? Many market and policy frameworks do not adequately incentivise investment in greenfield developments. Services that hydropower provides, particularly pumped storage hydropower, are not fully recognised nor adequately remunerated. This is despite the services provided by pumped storage facilities being vital in integrating variable renewables into power grids. The market will not deliver the doubling of
hydropower alone. It needs to be designed to reward flexibility and storage. Investors need to be assured that they will get a timely return on high upfront capital costs, and a streamlined license approvals system. These changes to the market are critical; because
replacing hydropower with burning coal would result in more than four billion metric tonnes of additional greenhouse gases being emitted annually. Global emissions from fossil fuels and industry would be at least 10% higher. Using hydropower instead of coal avoids around 150 million tonnes of air polluting particulates, 60 million tonnes of sulphur dioxide and eight million tonnes of nitrogen oxide from being emitted annually (IHA analysis).
30 | January 2025 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45
