|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Thu, 23rd Jul 2020 16:29:00 |
|
European Hydropower Lags as Hydrogen and Batteries Soar |
It’s the oldest and the biggest of all the clean energy technologies, but hydro has an uncertain role in Europe’s decarbonization plans.
Over the past five years, Europe's base of conventional hydropower and pumped hydro capacity grew at about 1 percent a year, reaching 251 gigawatts in 2019, according to the International Hydropower Association (IHA).
That feeble growth rate roughly tallies with scenarios developed by the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity, which indicate that Europe could reach 277 gigawatts of hydropower and pumped hydro capacity by 2030 and 280 gigawatts by 2040.
And that's if everything goes smoothly. In the meantime, green hydrogen and batteries pose a rising threat to hydropower plants and their future profits.
"Forecasting growth in hydropower is always challenging as this depends on a range of policy and commercial decisions and market conditions," David Samuel, senior analyst at the IHA, said in an email. "By 2030 total installed capacity could be somewhat higher or lower depending on the progress of major projects that are planned or under construction."
Read original full article
|
| |
|
|
Back to Featured Articles
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Energy News
|
|
| |
| |
