Sustainable hydropower |
Making a sustained effort
African developments, gender diversity and financial considerations provide different perspectives on the sustainable development of hydropower around the globe
Above: Skyline view of Abuja City in Nigeria where the Abuja Action Plan on Sustainable Hydropower Development was drawn up
IN AN EFFORT TO champion sustainable hydropower development across Africa, representatives of over 70 organisations from around the world gathered to discuss future plans at HydroPOWER Africa. Co- hosted by the International Hydropower Association (IHA), Mainstream Energy Solutions, The African Development Bank, Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa and The Nigerian Federal Ministry of Power, the event represented a joint endeavour by African countries to harness hydropower’s potential for a sustainable energy future, underscoring a common commitment to fostering an energy-rich and climate-resilient African economy for the 21st century. As Eddie Rich, CEO of the IHA said: “The
development of hydropower in Africa is not just about generating electricity; it’s about empowering communities, driving economic growth, and charting a sustainable path towards a clean energy future.” Sadiq Wanka, Special Advisor of Nigeria’s Vice
President on Renewables, agrees: “Hydropower resources are not just useful for power generation but also water management, irrigation, flood control and providing job opportunities to close the workforce gap.Tapping into the hydropower potential in the continent will be fundamental and we need to provide key incentives and the structure to facilitate investors,” he added.
With just 10% of the continent’s hydropower
potential being realised, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, Nigeria’s Minister of Power, believes that blended
8 | July 2024 |
www.waterpowermagazine.com
finance solutions can unlock investment opportunities. “To move fast, you move alone” he said, “but to move far you have to move together. We won’t harness our human resources if they aren’t energised by our natural resources. We need foreign investments and can provide a guaranteed return. Let’s turn our hydropower potential into reality for all Africans.”
As a consequence of this meeting, the Abuja Action
Plan on Sustainable Hydropower Development has been drawn up and calls on governments and international bodies to take steps to incentivise hydropower development in Africa. The plan: Calls on African governments to recognise and champion sustainable hydropower as a clean, green, modern and affordable solution to the provision of secure electricity supply that ensures industrialising nations have the same access to reliable electricity as industrialised nations have historically enjoyed.
Recommends that African governments make clear long-term plans for the development of renewable energy, including targets for the development of hydropower. Calls for all actors to recognise and reward hydropower’s role as an enabler of variable renewable energies and prioritise this technology accordingly.
Encourages governments to speed up permitting of projects, while also improving the quality of decisions.
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