The 2015 World Hydropower Conress took place on 19–21 May in Beijing, China, bringing together over 1,000 representatives of government, the finance sector, civil society, academia and industry to discuss a sustainable pathway for the future of hydropower.

This short video provides a glimpse of the three days at the iconic Yanqi Lake complex, host of the 2014 APEC Conference.

To find out more about the event you can read about some of the outcomes, and see pictures from day one and days two and three.

Hydropower stations can pose significant safety risks to those who work in them, but there is no excuse for injury or death in our workplaces. Developers, owners and operators of hydropower plants all need to make a strong commitment to workplace health and safety. 

Some of the hazards at hydropower stations differ from those at thermal power stations or commercial installations. Hydropower stations typically have limited access and no natural lighting. Lower floors are often below the outside water level, and many are underground.

1.    Designing safety into hydropower stations

When designing and implementing a new hydropower scheme, or when upgrading an existing station, we need to carefully consider the required standard of workplace health and safety, and the scope of work necessary to achieve that standard.

This means understanding the relevant legislation, building codes and the requirements of the insurer. We also need to be clear about how responsibilities are shared between all the parties involved – the designer, developer, owner, contractors, and so on.

But while standards, codes and guides are a good starting point, the final solution needs to be tailored to the particular circumstances and level of risk at the station in question. Safety systems for hydropower plants can be complex and sophisticated, but simple systems can also be robust – it all depends on the specific requirements of the facility in question.

2.    Planning ahead to control risks

A general approach taken to minimise workplace risks involves planning ahead to prevent workplace accidents, injuries and illnesses. We do this by ensuring that systems of work are safe and that equipment is properly maintained. Employees must receive health and safety information, training and appropriate supervision.

This approach is usually expressed through a hierarchy of controls:

3.    Safety upgrades for older hydropower stations

Typically, new hydropower stations are well designed and comply with appropriate safety standards and local building codes. Larger hydropower stations can have safety systems as complex and thorough as those in modern multi-floor commercial buildings. However, older plants were often designed with little regard to safety, and now need urgent attention to comply with modern workplace health and safety standards. 

While safety facilities are readily incorporated into new hydropower schemes, they may be more difficult to retro-fit into existing stations. The scope of work will need to take into account the interfaces with existing facilities and the tailoring required to suit the specific site and location.

4.    Station evacuation

Whatever the nature of the crisis, people must be able to get out of a hydropower station safely. All stations should have at least two independent ways to exit. If one route becomes inaccessible, an alternative emergency escape route should always be available. Adequate lighting is essential for emergency escapes.

Safety at hydro stations involves more than simply having the correct equipment or hardware present at the site."

The primary consideration should be to provide safety facilities to get personnel out of a hydropower station safely before conditions inside become dangerous. The second consideration should be providing facilities to get people out safely after conditions become dangerous. Only then do we think about safety facilities to prevent damage to the plant itself.

5.    Flood protection

Hydropower stations can and do flood. Failure of drainage pumps can lead to a slow increase in the water level and eventual flooding of the station. Alternatively, a plant failure and leakage that drainage pumps cannot manage can cause rapid flooding of the station. This makes water-level, flood and evacuation alarms an absolute necessity.

Flood protection schemes can be implemented to automatically close intake gates or hilltop valves and keep turbines operating to attempt to drain the headworks and penstocks of water to control flooding, and to automatically stop the hydro plant before the water levels become critical.

6.    Fire and smoke control

We need to detect fires as early as possible, prevent them from spreading, alert all personnel, and provide safe and well-lit means of evacuation as soon as possible.

Smoke control and ventilation are also extremely important. Fire will rapidly fill a hydro station with thick, black, acrid smoke, which is often a far greater hazard to personnel than the fire itself, as it obscures vision (preventing occupants from finding safe escape routes, as well as hindering search and rescue operations). It can also asphyxiate or poison people well before the temperature of the fire or smoke causes injury.

A holistic fire protection system needs to attend to the full range of passive measures (e.g. fire-rated construction materials and methods), active measures (e.g. sprinklers, venting, fire-fighting equipment) and operational measures (e.g. plans, systems and training for fire prevention and response). 

7.    Emergency and crisis management

Safety at hydro stations involves more than simply having the correct equipment or hardware present at the site. It involves an ongoing commitment by the owner, management, operator and employees to provide and maintain a safe and healthy work environment.

This commitment should be documented in writing and form part of a workplace health and safety policy supported by safe work systems and documentation. These should include a written risk control program and fire protection program, hazard register, site induction procedures, attendance boards, permit to work systems, local safety teams, and a detailed crisis and emergency plan.

You can read more about hydropower safety here.

You can read more about Entura's work on hydropower here.

33 GW of new hydropower capacity was commissioned in 2015, including 2.5 GW of pumped storage, according to estimates in our new briefing, 2016 Key Trends in Hydropower.

At the end of 2015, the world’s total installed hydropower capacity reached 1,211 GW, including 145 GW of pumped storage.

Continuing the trend of recent years, the majority of new hydropower capacity was commissioned in China. In 2015, Chinese total hydropower capacity reached 320 GW, according to the China Electricity Council. This represents 19.4 GW of new installed capacity.

The briefing also identifies China’s increasing global influence as a sector trend. For example, China Three Gorges Corporation became the second-largest private power generator in Brazil, after purchasing concessions to operate two hydropower stations totalling 5 GW. 

Increased activity in Africa is also featured, with several transformative projects having recently been completed or nearing completion in Ethiopia, Guinea and Zambia.

Other notable sector trends identified include increased recognition of the value of electricity storage through hydropower, innovative financing options pioneered by the multilateral lenders, and the increasing influence of climate aspects on hydropower project design and rehabilitation. 

“The latest data shows that the hydropower sector is continuing its strong growth trend across the world,” said Richard Taylor, IHA chief executive.

“The new Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate action have emphasised hydropower’s vital role in meeting the world’s energy, water and climate challenges.

“Through its ability to support clean energy systems and provide multiple water services, hydropower can be the key to realising the ambitious global targets outlined at COP21.” 

Key Trends in Hydropower is an annual briefing on key hydropower data and sector trends. It is built on data from IHA’s global hydropower database, which contains information on over 11,000 of the world’s hydropower stations. The 2016 edition is expected to be widely cited as the most up-to-date source of statistics on hydropower development worldwide.

Under the conditions of climate change, exceptional flooding events are becoming more frequent. In order to reduce the impacts of extreme flooding, EDF’s Hydro Engineering Centre (CIH) develops a new technological solution for increasing the discharge capacity of spillways: the piano key weir (PKW).

The name of this solution refers to its innovative design, with distinctive rectangular discharge tanks which look like the keys of a piano. Their shape provides a larger surface area for the flow of water, dramatically increasing the discharge capacity of spillways. This is particularly important for dams which are situated in narrow gorges, where it can be essential to rapidly evacuate excess water from flooding.

In 2015, EDF received a Climate Solutions Award, a scheme launched in the wake of COP21, for the company’s role in the development of PKW technology. Yves Giraud, director of EDF’s hydro division, received this prize in the “adaptation to climate change” category from Ségolène Royal, the French minister of ecology, sustainable development and energy. This award demonstrates the increased international recognition for PKW technology.

In 2012, EDF installed PKW technology at the Malarce dam in Ardèche, France. To date, this is the largest PKW project installed in EDF’s hydropower fleet. Situated on the Chassezac River, the Malarce dam is exposed to an unpredictable and extreme hydrological regime from September to June. Twelve “piano keys” are now installed at the dam, increasing the discharge capacity to 4,600 m³ of water per second, enough to evacuate a millennial flood.

There are very few technological innovations in hydropower that have spread so quickly around the world."

EDF has already installed this technology at a further eight dams in France. The solution has also been implemented at other sites in France, as well as in Vietnam, Sri Lanka, Australia and Scotland (UK). EDF is now incorporating the concept into the study phase of international projects, particularly in Africa. Other developers are currently implementing the technology in Algeria, the USA and South Africa. There are very few technological innovations in hydropower that have spread so quickly around the world.

Why has the global uptake of PKW technology been so rapid? In a sense, PKW is an “open source” technology. The concept was first proposed by HydroCoop, a non-profit organisation, and the University of Biskra (Algeria). Then EDF and other institutes, such as the Swiss Federal

Institute of Technology in Lausanne, the University of Liège and the Vietnamese Comitee of Large Dams, took part in further development. In parallel, EDF designed and built the first PKW at Goulours dam, France. While none have sought to protect or patent this important solution, stakeholders have rather been working collaboratively to share the PKW design with the wider hydropower community.

PKW builds on an earlier solution: the labyrinth spillways which were developed in the 20th century. Labyrinth spillways can only be implemented in certain types of dams, and they must generally be included in the project design from the earliest stages of development.

By contrast, PKW technology can be installed at an existing dam. Another advantage is that it is suitable for a wider range of dam types, including far narrower dams than the labyrinth spillways, where the need to increase discharge capacity is of far greater importance.

This case study is featured in the 2016 Hydropower Status Report. You can download the full report here.

The International Hydropower Association (IHA) announces that the 2017 World Hydropower Congress will take place in Addis Ababa at the African Union Commission on 9–11 May 2017.

Hydropower currently provides 70% of the world’s renewable electricity, supplying more than a billion people across 152 countries. It mitigates climate change by offsetting greenhouse-gas emissions and the use of fossil fuel, equivalent to six billion barrels of oil per year.  

With the right policies and design, hydropower’s operational flexibility and energy-storage capability can also support the rapid progress of other renewables. By managing freshwater, hydropower can provide adaptation services by reducing the downstream impacts of flood and drought. 

A key message from the multi-stakeholder community is the call for an even stronger emphasis on environmental and social aspects in the planning stages. If this is done with the right level of expertise, strategically planned hydropower can deliver major benefits, both locally and regionally. The challenge is to integrate past experience and new thinking, and then align policies and finance to incentivise the best types of project in the best locations.

With the above in mind, the 2017 World Hydropower Congress will bring together leaders and specialists to set the course for hydropower’s contribution to future energy and water systems. How to do ‘better hydro’ in a changing world will be a central theme.

Building on the outcomes of the 2015 event in Beijing, the 2017 World Hydropower Congress will explore a diversity of perspectives and will examine how initiatives of governments, businesses, finance, civil society and academia can advance sustainable development.

“We are proud to be convening the World Hydropower Congress for the first time in Africa”, says Richard Taylor, CEO of IHA. “Hydropower’s role is a dynamic that calls for an integrated approach, with a strongly connected sector, and a high level of collaboration.

"With the right commitments, better hydro will play an even greater role in delivering modern energy and water services in a climate-constrained world.”

Participants bringing experience from all regions of the world will gather in Addis Ababa on 9–11 May 2017. Organisations wishing to support the 2017 World Hydropower Congress are invited to contact congress@hydropower.org for more information.

You can find information and resources from the 2015 World Hydropower Congress, held in Beijing, China in May 2015, here. A new website for the 2017 World Hydropower Congress will be launched in the coming weeks.

The International Hydropower Association is expanding its knowledge networks initiative to include eight topics identified as the most challenging for the sector.

The knowledge networks bring together professionals throughout IHA’s worldwide membership to share ideas and experiences, discuss new developments and collaborate on a range of key hydropower topics.

Knowledge networks will now operate across the following topics:

• Clean energy systems
• Climate mitigation
• Climate resilience and adaptation
• Communications
• Project benefits
• Project financing
• Regional development
• Water footprint

The networks are open to anyone who is an employee of an IHA corporate member or an individual member of IHA.

This expansion follows the popularity of existing knowledge networks on the topics of climate resilience and adaptation, and communications. These active networks have been established through a number of networking activities such as webinars, surveys, workshops, reports and briefings in recent months.

The topics for the new networks have been identified through a combination of ongoing sector monitoring, and consultation with industry professionals through IHA's annual issues survey.

Bill Girling, interim director of hydropower development at IHA, said: “We are seeking to harness the success of our established knowledge networks, and broaden our engagement with members to cover the most important topics for the hydropower sector today.

“By working collaboratively with specialists in our membership to identify and share experiences and good practices from many different regional contexts, we hope to unearth solutions to some of the biggest challenges and help the sector to move forward sustainably.” 

For more information on how the networks operate and how to get involved, you can download the brochure or contact the IHA team at communications@hydropower.org.

We are taking the pulse of the hydropower sector at large in this year's annual issues survey. You are invited to take part.

What is the IHA annual issues survey?

The IHA annual issues survey is an initiative that aims to monitor the key issues facing hydropower, identify policy developments around the world that affect the sector, and ensure that our work programme reflects the issues that are closest to our members and the global hydropower community.

The results will give insights into the current status of hydropower worldwide, and help to guide our future work as we build and share knowledge on hydropower's role in renewable energy systems, freshwater management and climate change solutions.

Who should answer the IHA 2016 annual issues survey?

The survey is aimed at anyone who is involved in hydropower.

You might work for a utility, a consultancy, a commercial or development bank, an NGO or a research institution. You might be an employee of an IHA corporate member, an individual member of IHA, or have attended one of our events, such as the World Hydropower Congress, or perhaps this is your first involvement in our work.

Whatever the level of your involvement with hydropower and IHA, your views are important to us.

What if I want to find out about the results of this survey?

All survey respondents will be invited to particpate in an exclusive webinar in early 2017, in which we will share aggregated results. The webinar will cover the key findings from the survey to give you an insider insight on key trends in the hydropower sector. Following the webinar, we will publish aggregated results on our website.

If you want to receive the survey results and an invitation to the webinar, please make sure to include your contact details when prompted at the end of the survey.

How do I take the IHA 2016 annual issues survey?

To take the survey, simply click here and follow the online instructions.

How long is the survey open for?

The survey opens on 24 November 2016 and will close on 31 December 2016.

Will my responses be confidential?

All responses to the survey will be treated confidentially. Only the aggregated results will be shared. Under no circumstances will your individual responses be identifiable or communicated to any third parties.

What else can I do to help?

If you have any colleagues who are also engaged with IHA, please encourage them to participate in the survey by sharing a link to this page. The more respondents we have, the better we can adjust our work to meet the requirements of the global hydropower community. 

At the end of 2016 we can look back on a year of progress for hydropower, with many development landmarks achieved around the world. We have compiled some of the most notable achievements by IHA member companies this year.

China Three Gorges Corporation: Xiluodu project wins FIDIC award

In September, the Xiluodu hydropower project was recognised with an Outstanding Project of the Year Award by the International Federation of Consulting Engineers (FIDIC). Xiluodu, developed by China Three Gorges Corporation, is the world's third-largest hydropower station, with an installed capacity of 13,860 MW. The award was presented at the FIDIC awards gala dinner in Morocco. You can read the full list of winners here.

Ecofish Research: study finds increase in overall fish abundance at run-of-river projects

During 2016, scientists at Ecofish Research Ltd. found that there was an overall increase in fish abundance in the diversion reaches of six run-of-river hydroelectric projects (Kwalsa-Stave projects) owned by Innergex Renewable Energy Inc. in southwestern British Columbia, Canada; a result supported by an independent review of the report by the Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat.

Engie: 3,750 MW Jirau project inaugurated in Brazil

On 16 December 2016, Engie inaugurated the Jirau hydropower project, located on the Madeira River in the State of Rondônia, Brazil. At 3,750 MW, the project is the Engie Group's largest in the world, and will provide the equivalent consumption of more than 10 million homes. The project is certified by the United Nations according to the Clean Development Mechanism, and will reduce 6 million tons of CO2 emissions ervery year.

Eskom: 1,332 MW Ingula pumped storage scheme comes online in South Africa

Eskom's Ingula pumped storage scheme came into commercial operation in 2016. The first of four units came online in June, with two more units following in August. In October, the project won two awards at the Annual South African Institute of Civil Engineering (SAICE) & South African Forum of Civil Engineering Contractors (SAFCEC) awards. At the project site, Eskom is actively taking steps to conserve the environment for future generations. You can read more here.

Hydro-Québec: record net exports of clean energy

For its third quarter of 2016, Hydro-Québec Production recorded net exports of 9.8 TWh of clean energy on markets outside Québec, a historic quarterly high and a 1.4-TWh increase compared to the previous record, set in the third quarter of 2015. Last year, over 7 million t CO2 eq. emissions were avoided through the company's electricity sales outside Québec, the equivalent of 1.85 million cars on the road during a year.

Hydro Tasmania: Waddamana power station celebrates centenary

In May, Hydro Tasmania’s first ever power station at Waddamana turned 100 years old, inspiring great pride and nostalgia about its role in the industrialisation of Tasmania. The station produced power from 1916 until 1994, and today has a new life as a museum displaying original equipment. You can find out more about the project here.

MWH Global, now part of Stantec: four projects reach commercial operation on Ohio River

Four new hydropower plants – Cannelton, Willow Island, Meldahl and Smithland – are now producing power along the Ohio River, representing the potential for renewable energy solutions in the United States. The Cannelton project is pictured. MWH Global, now part of Stantec, provided the feasibility review, licensing, design and construction of the four projects, which are using existing dams and turning them into clean, run-of-river hydroelectric generation. You can find out more here.

Neoenergia: go-ahead for full startup of 1,820 MW Teles Pires project

In August, the Brazilian power regulator Aneel gave approval for the 1,820 MW Teles Pires hydropower project to go into full commercial operation. The project's first unit started producing power in November 2015, and transmission lines linking the project to Brazil's national grid were completed in 2016. The project was developed by a consortium of Neoenergia (50.1 per cent), Eletrobras-Eletrosul (24.5 per cent), Eletrobras Furnas (24.5 per cent) and Odebrecht (0.9 per cent). You can find out more here.

Norconsult: paperless Vamma 12 project wins international BIM award

Norconsult’s paperless hydropower project, Vamma 12, was recognised with an international BIM award at the AEC Excellence Awards in November. The project, which is currently under construction in Østfold, Norway, is being implemented based on BIM (Building Information Modelling). Rather than delivering drawings to the construction site, updated digital models are sent electronically. You can find out more here. Photo credit: Hafslund and Norconsult.

Pöyry: concrete works implemented at Upper Kaleköy dam, spillway and powerhouse in Turkey

In December, the main concrete works of the Upper Kaleköy dam, Turkey, as well as the spillway and powerhouse, were successfully completed. Pöyry provided full scope of detail design services for civil works, and coordination services for HEM equipment.

Renewable Energy Holdings: 4.5 MW Stortemelk project commissioned in South Africa

In August, the 4.5 MW Stortemelk hydropower project, developed by Renewable Energy Holdings on the Ash River in South Africa, begun commercial operations. The project was recognised by South Africa's Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer (REIPP) procurement programme. You can find out more here.

Sarawak Energy: state government approves 1,285 MW Baleh project

In September, the Sarawak state government formally approved the construction of Sarawak Energy's 1,285 MW Baleh hydroelectric project. The go-ahead follows the approval of the project's social and enviromental impact assessment report last year. The construction phase of the project is projected to create about 3,500 job opportunities, and is expected to be completed in 2025. You can find out more here.

SNC Lavalin: Jimmie Creek project wins Clean Energy BC's Project Excellence Award

SNC Lavalin completed construction of the Jimmie Creek hydroelectric project in British Columbia, Canada, in June 2016 safely, ahead of schedule and under budget. The project, which is now producing its full capacity output of 62 MW, was recognised with an excellence award at the Clean Energy BC Awards in November. You can see some videos on the project, including a construction time lapse, here.

Statkraft: Nedre Røssåga opens after renovation and expansion

In October, Statkraft opened the Nedre Røssåga hydropower station in Nordland, Norway, after an extensive renovation and expansion, preparing it for another 50 years of renewable energy generation. The project's total capacity has been increased from 250 Mw to 350 MW; it will now produce 2.15 TWh of electricity per year, equivalent to the consumption of more than 100,000 Norwegian households. You can find out more here.

Voith: 88 MW Mount Coffee project resumes operation after extensive modernisation

In December, the 88 MW Mount Coffee hydropower project in Liberia following extensive upgrades. Liberia's president Ellen Johnson Sirleaf (pictured) joined 300 international guests to celebrate the opening ceremony. Voith provided new Francis turbines, generators, the control technology and the electrical and mechanical power plant equipment for the project, as well as training power plant operators. The run-of-river plant will supply electricity to more than 1 million people in Liberia. Find out more here.

What are you biggest concerns for 2015? Tell us what is on your radar, and we can continue to shape our work programme around the most important issues for the sector.

Kandeh Yumkella is the United Nations under-secretary general and the chief executive of Sustainable Energy for All. In this video interview, he spoke with us about the challenges in managing water resources and sustainably building new hydropower capacity. You can read more of the interview below.

What is Sustainable Energy For All? 

The Sustainable Energy for All initiative was launched by UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and President Jim Yong Kim of the World Bank to promote the idea of sustainable energy for all.  
It has three targets: to achieve universal access to energy by 2030; to double the annual rate of energy efficiency improvement by 2030; and to double the share of renewables by 2030.  Three targets in one narrative to keep the world within 2 degrees [temperature rise in celsius], and end energy poverty. 

Hydropower has to play a significant role, because it is one of the renewable energy sources and one of the cheapest forms of providing electricity. So we see hydropower as an integral part of Sustainable Energy for All.

What can we do better in the provision of sustainable water and energy services to the global population?

First of all we have to be cognisant of that important link between energy and water.  In many cases we need water to produce energy, but at the same time we need energy to make access to clean water possible. 

Most energy systems are thirsty apart from the use of water directly for generating power. Most energy technologies, including some of the renewable technologies, require water for cooling systems. How we use that water for producing energy must be optimised and done more efficiently.  

We need agreement on how we balance hydropower production with making clean water available for urban communities that are sprawling along river basins"

At the same time, communities need energy to have access to clean water, and then you begin to see the linkages between energy access, water access and food security.  

We believe we need to look at all three at the same time, and so we talk about the multiple benefits of the water–energy nexus for human development. We need to keep that in mind as we design programmes.

How do you think sustainability values can help promote development?

We believe that energy is the ultimate enabler of sustainable development.  This is why Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and President Kim have led us in this campaign to ensure that energy access is included in the post-2015 development agenda.  

The secretary general has defined energy as the golden thread that runs through all pillars of sustainable development, meaning that without access to affordable, reliable energy we cannot get the health systems to run, we cannot make clean water available and ensure sanitation, nor can we ensure proper production of food.  

But in the case of using water to produce energy, we also have to put it in the context of climate change. If climate change worsens it means our reservoirs will not be able to generate as much power as we anticipate, and therefore hydropower production sustainability must be at the core of those kinds of projects. 

We also need to address sustainability in terms of eco-systems management within those river basins, and how we share these resources among countries, as a lot of rivers are trans-boundary.

How can water resources be managed at the regional level?

I think the biggest challenge, first of all, is agreeing on an inclusive dialogue that will make sure that resources can be shared optimally.

Secondly, we need agreement on how we balance hydropower production with making clean water available for urban communities that are sprawling along river basins, and thirdly how that water would be available for irrigation.

We have limited supplies of clean water. How we use that and share those resources among countries that live around river basins is going to be crucial.  

I know there are many successful examples to look at.  I live in Vienna and I know there are a good set of initiatives and institutions built around how communities are using the Danube River.  

Between the Austrians, Hungarians and other neighbours they have been able to cleverly use those water resources for navigation and movement of products along those rivers, for power generation, clean water availability and irrigation, while protecting the eco-systems.

Can the world’s hydropower capacity be doubled by 2050?

I believe that capacity expansion is possible but it has to be done within the context of sustainability, and sharing of best practices and developing good knowledge systems will be crucial if we are going to achieve that level of scale-up.

In doing this, we must emphasise stronger international co-operation, and assistance that can ensure better negotiations on how to use those water resources in a more inclusive way within the context of climate change.

Remember the worse scenarios of climate change predict droughts in some locations – so if you build a dam and then there is no water, then that is going to be a problem. And in other locations, floods will be a problem.

Will these new hydropower installations be climate-proofed properly?  Will they have resilience in case there is too much water?  How do you manage those water resources, and in fact do you have all the systems of storing water when you have these major changes in climate conditions?

If we deal with all these issues in the next 20 or 30 years, then the capacity of hydropower can be doubled – but we have to do it in a very careful way to make sure we avoid conflict.

Sami Khan is the winner of the IHA Young Researcher Award 2015. In the article, he discusses his research on how hydrophobic materials can help to improve the efficiency of hydropower systems.

For decades, hydropower has provided a clean, alternative form of energy that still continues to meet the ever-increasing global electricity demand. Presently, hydropower accounts for about 7 per cent of the electricity needs in the US and is a vital component of the clean-energy mix; representing about 52 per cent of the total renewable energy generation.

Hydropower turbines have evolved to become extremely efficient. With over 90 per cent net efficiency, hydropower systems have served as an excellent model for harnessing maximum potential while maintaining a high standard of performance and reliability. 

Despite these high performance metrics, hydropower systems have not been immune from environmental factors that affect long-term performance and increase annual maintenance costs. A common example is bio-fouling – in particular, infestation by zebra mussels in many North American hydropower facilities

These species rapidly adhere to hydropower conveyance structures such as penstocks, as well as inside cooling water systems for turbines (see Figure 1, left).

Some plants have adopted chemical treatment procedures to mitigate the infestation; however, such methods have large annual operating costs (estimated around USD 100,000 per year), and may have detrimental environment effects.

Corrosion of plant components, drag-induced losses and scale-formation are other issues that potentially affect the performance of hydropower systems.
 
Thus, it is highly desirable to have a long-term robust solution in the form of infrastructural upgrades that can address some of these challenges and thereby reduce net annual costs for hydropower facilities.

In this research we make a case for robust hydrophobic rare-earth oxide materials in these upgrades that provide a promising one-stop solution to these issues.

What are hydrophobic materials?

The word hydrophobic, derived from ancient Greek, literally means 'water fearing'. A common example of a hydrophobic material is the lotus leaf: with a slippery, waxy coating on the surface it is capable of keeping itself remarkably dry.

Typically, industrial hydrophobic materials are made from organic derivatives such as waxes or polymers. The problem with organic hydrophobic coatings is longevity: when exposed to harsh environments such as steam or flowing water for example, these materials often degrade and are hence unable to maintain their water-repellency in the long run.

As such, hydrophobic materials that possess robustness to withstand such conditions are extremely desirable.

The particular class of robust hydrophobic materials investigated in this research is called the rare-earth oxide group of ceramics, which are compounds of the lanthanide series elements. Their name is a misnomer; rare-earth oxides are in-fact highly abundant in the earth’s crust and are naturally-occurring.

We demonstrate that all rare-earth oxides from cerium oxide to lutetium oxide have the extraordinary capability of repelling water and staying dry (See Figure 2, left). Unlike typical hydrophobic materials such as waxes, these materials can sustain their hydrophobicity in harsh temperature, pressure and flow conditions.

An added advantage is that rare-earth oxides are relatively cheap compared to other hydrophobic materials; their present market value is about USD 40–60 per kg, and is forecasted to stay unchanged over the next few years. 

How are hydrophobic rare-earth oxides beneficial for hydropower systems?

What is also incredible about hydrophobic rare-earth oxides is their ability to repel not just water, but also solids – in other words, these materials possess a low surface energy. A non-stick pan coated with Teflon is a perfect example of this phenomenon: not only is it hydrophobic, but also resists food solids from sticking.

Given their remarkable hydrophobic potential, we envision that low-surface energy hydrophobic rare-earth oxides can greatly reduce or even eliminate bio-fouling in hydropower systems.

Other added advantages are corrosion-resistance and drag reduction: being hydrophobic, these materials minimize friction in flow conditions, thereby reducing drag-induced performance losses.

A common concern with coatings is their longevity and adhesion over time. Being ceramics, hydrophobic rare-earth oxides already have an inherent advantage over typical epoxy or paint coatings due to their superior robustness.

We show that coatings of rare-earth oxides as thin as a few hundred nanometers do not deteriorate in harsh steam environments.

We also demonstrate that these coatings completely repel high-speed impinging water drops (see Figure 3, left). In view of these results, we envisage promising long-term stability of these coatings in hydropower systems.

In conclusion, hydrophobic rare-earth oxide coatings present an attractive multi-dimensional package of enhancements for the hydropower industry. These benefits include bio-fouling resistance, drag reduction, corrosion resistance, and overall, a reliable, long-term form of protection.

Further research would need to evaluate the long-term capital and operating costs in more detail and justify benefits for a typical plant, as well as prove longevity and versatility of applications.

These coatings can be retrofitted in existing systems or applied in new plants, and should be considered by hydropower facilities in the overall scheme of infrastructure modernisation.

Sami Khan is presenting his research at the session on Modernisation: how can existing assets be optimised? at the 2015 World Hydropower Congress. You can find out more here.

31.5 GW of new hydropower capacity was commissioned in 2016, according to estimates in our new briefing, 2017 Key Trends in Hydropower.

The figure includes 6.4 GW of new pumped storage installations, almost double the amount commissioned the previous year. At the end of 2016, the world’s total installed hydropower capacity reached 1,246 GW, including 150 GW of pumped storage. 

The briefing precedes the 2017 Hydropower Status Report, which will feature more in-depth analysis of key topics and regional activity, and will be launched at the 2017 World Hydropower Congress, which takes place in Addis Ababa on 9–11 May.

China continues to lead in terms of the volume of new hydropower capacity, installing 11.7 GW in 2016, including 3.7 GW of pumped storage. Brazil also saw significant advances, installing 6.4 GW, including the completion of the 3.75 GW Jirau project.

The briefing also outlines the most significant current trends affecting hydropower. Ultra-high voltage transmission is connecting hydropower to markets, as the concept of ‘global energy interconnection’ is being implemented regionally and on an inter-continental scale to enable the massive growth in renewable energy technologies to meet global energy demand.

Progress in reporting on hydropower’s carbon footprint is noted in the briefing too. An international research initiative has developed a framework for calculating the net greenhouse gas emissions of freshwater reservoirs, in which pre-impoundment emissions specific to each reservoir will now be considered, as well as the multiple services provided by the reservoir.

Other notable sector trends identified in the briefing include the establishment of initiatives to manage the risk profile of hydropower, increased integration of renewables to support grid stability, and new priorities emerging on smart modernisation and digitisation of assets.

Richard Taylor, chief executive of IHA, said: “The latest data shows that the hydropower sector is continuing to grow steadily across the world, and we are seeing a renaissance in pumped storage development.

“This is indicative of hydropower’s increasingly important role in providing flexible support to renewable energy systems, as countries around the world take steps to meet the carbon reduction goals set out in the Paris Agreement.”

The analysis outlined in 2017 Key Trends in Hydropower will be presented in a free webinar on Tuesday 4 April 2017. More information on the webinar and how to register is available here.

An initiative in Uganda seeks to help agricultural development by encouraging the implementation of small hydropower projects that deliver electricity to farmers, agribusiness, and other customers in the area surrounding the power plant. Economic analysis indicates that such projects can have a large and positive impact on agricultural production and productivity. What is needed now is investment for such power projects, writes Linda Lee Bower.

Uganda is a primarily a rural, agricultural country. Agriculture represents almost three quarters of total employment and one quarter of gross domestic product (GDP). The sector also accounts for most of Uganda’s exports: coffee is the biggest export earner, along with other agricultural products including tea and cotton, among others.

The role of electricity in agriculture

Energy is a very important factor in increasing agricultural productivity. Modern agriculture requires energy input at all stages of production, including post-harvest activities such as drying and milling, hulling, grading, roasting, and packaging, among others. 
Currently in Uganda, electricity from the national grid is not available in rural areas.

Consequently, most post-harvest processes are performed by hand. Some concerns rely on diesel generators, but this method is two to six times more expensive than grid-based electricity. Thus, new hydroelectric power plants in rural areas can accelerate agricultural growth and economic development. Hydropower is one of the least expensive methods of generating electricity.

Uganda’s renewable energy policy

The government of Uganda’s policy vision is to make modern renewable energy a substantial part of national energy consumption. A very important element in this program is attracting investment for projects and financing them. One focus is on small hydropower projects. 

The national grid is owned and operated by the Government of Uganda; but for small hydropower projects (under 20 MW), private investment is allowed, and foreign investment is welcome. The business model is that the investor builds a hydropower project and sells electricity output to the national grid under a 20-year contract at a good price that yields a 15–20 per cent return to the investor. 

Presently, small hydropower plants account for only a small percentage of electricity generation capacity in Uganda, but a lot of potential exists. Uganda has many small rivers where hydropower plants could be developed. More than 50 potential small hydropower sites have been identified in Uganda through various studies.

This framework fosters the expansion of the supply of energy to the grid, but it does not facilitate local distribution networks to provide electricity in the area surrounding the plant. To address this issue, the Ugandan Government created the Rural Electrification Agency (REA), which has a mandate to invest in the expansion of local distribution networks to increase electricity distribution in rural areas. However, this agency is overwhelmed by many requests, and investment needs exceed government funding capacity.

Another issue is that while the potential users want to have electricity and could afford the monthly bill, the initial costs (such as meters installed on customer premises or new electric-powered machinery) may be beyond their means.

The US Agency for International Development (USAID) has established a program to address these issues.

USAID’s Power for Rural Livelihoods Activity

USAID’s Feed the Future program has a “Power for Rural Livelihoods Activity” (PRLA), which seeks to achieve agricultural development through increased availability of power. The objective of this activity is to increase the value of selected agricultural products through improved post-harvest operations. The program focuses on the value chains for coffee, beans and maize. 

This is seen as a win-win opportunity for investors interested in building hydropower plants"

USAID has developed a concept that adds incentives to investors to include local distribution networks in their projects – incentives such as loan guarantees and assistance with environmental impact assessments and feasibility studies.

This is seen as a win-win opportunity for investors interested in building hydropower plants, as they can make additional revenues and profits from running the distribution network, and can also make an important contribution to the local community, which could be presented in the context of corporate social responsibility.

For the local customers, the model could assist with the initial capital costs of new electrical machinery for agribusiness or could help with the cost of installing meters in households.

Case study: Kapchorwa

One potential site for a hydroelectric project is located at Atari Falls in Kapchorwa in eastern Uganda. 

One farmers’ co-op located in Kapchorwa is the Kapchorwa Commercial Farmers Association (Kacofa). Kacofa is made up of 6,300 farmers, representing about 30 per cent of households in the area.  This co-op has a vision to transform the practices of its members from subsistence agriculture to profitable and sustainable commercial farming that provides income. 

Currently, few Kacofa farmers have powered equipment, and most post-harvest processes are done by hand. Kacofa leadership desires an adequate supply of reliable electricity to increase efficiency in processing crops, and to add value by moving more into processing and higher-value agribusiness activities. For example, the addition of a milling machine in the Kacofa facility would add value, and a machine shop would enable rapid repair of broken plows and other equipment. Also of interest to Kacofa is irrigation, which a hydropower project could enable. Irrigation would enable farmers to increase productivity, expand their acreage, and diversify into higher value crops.

Conclusions

An analysis of the potential to Kapchorwa indicates that delivering electricity to farmers that grow coffee, maize and beans may result in a 50 per cent increase in their annual income.

The main finding is that small hydropower projects with local distribution can have a large and positive direct impact on farmers’ income, private sector activities, and indirectly on households and non-agriculture business, resulting in economic growth and poverty reduction.

The author, Linda Lee Bower, participated in a project sponsored by USAID to examine the costs and benefits of small hydroelectric projects in Uganda to deliver electricity to farmers, agribusiness, and other customers in rural areas surrounding such projects.

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. 

The 2017 World Hydropower Congress closed on Thursday 11 May with strong commitments from multiple stakeholders towards delivering better hydro. Here are some of the most notable moments from the final day.

New collection of case studies on sustainable hydropower development unveiled

Better Hydro: Compendium of Case Studies 2017 was officially launched at the closing day of the congress, presenting examples of excellence in specific aspects of sustainable hydropower development. Some of the key people involved in the project are pictured (left to right): Aida Khalil, senior sustainability specialist at IHA; Kimberly Lyon, water resources management analyst at the World Bank Group; Doug Smith; independent consultant; and Cameron Ironside, sustainability director at IHA. You can download the full publication here.

The congress venue: United Nations Conference Center, Addis Ababa

The official venue for the 2017 World Hydropower Congress was the United Nations Conference Center, in Addis Ababa. Delegates gathered in the sunshine at the UN compound for the closing day.

A hydropower project built by the Benedictine Sisters of St Agnes

Sister Yoela Luambano is director of the Tulila hydropower project, constructed by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Agnes in Tanzania. The project supplies power to rural areas in the vicinity of the plant, and delivers important benefits to the local community. Sister Luambano told the project's story to delegates in a session on small-scale energy systems at the congress. A case study of the initiative is featured in Better Hydro: Compendium of Case Studies 2017, which you can download here.

“Isn’t hydropower just the hottest thing in Iceland?”

Ragna Árnadóttir is deputy CEO of Landsvirkjun, the National Power Company of Iceland. Speaking in a session on the benefits of hydropower, she described how hydropower has significantly contributed to Iceland's journey from a poor nation a century ago to one that has a very high standard of living today. Describing the challenges in communicating the benefits, she said: "We have not been able to map out benefits, especially for younger generations, to understand the importance of hydro." Earlier in the week, Landsvirkjun's Blanda hydropower project was awarded the IHA Blue Planet Prize. Watch a short documentary video about the project here.

Bringing together the Francophone hydropower community

The 2017 World Hydropower Congress provided an opportunity to bring together hydropower professionals from Francophone countries to share knowledge and experiences. Christine Cantin, senior advisor at Hydro-Québec and IHA Board member spoke in a special lunchtime session co-convened by the Francophone Institute for Sustainable Development. The 2017 World Hydropower Congress Handbook is available to download in French here.

Archana Agrawal addresses the closing session

Archana Agrawal, joint secretary, Indian Ministry of Power, led the closing session of the congress with a speech describing the “great and ambitious plans for Africa, the rising giant for hydropower” presented at the congress. She said it would be “a great thing” to witness the sustainable energy transformation of the continent. 

Organisations unite with commitments to better hydro

The congress concluded with a series of commitments to better hydro, delivered by a broad range of organisations and institutions that participated in Addis Ababa. You can read about the commitments announced here.

Developing "the right projects, in the right place, in the right way"

The Nature Conservancy was represented by its programme director for Gabon, Marie-Claire Paiz, who described the organisation’s commitment as a “partner to identify and test solutions to clean energy and maintaining healthy rivers”. She reiterated the principle of developing “the right projects, in the right place, in the right way” and described the new tools and approaches being designed to reduce the environmental, social and financial risks at the early stages of hydropower development. 

2019 World Hydropower Congress to be hosted in France

In his closing speech at the United Nations Conference Center, IHA president Ken Adams announced that the 2019 World Hydropower Congress will be hosted in France. He said: “We cannot wait to see you in France in two years so we can continue our journey together.” China Three Gorges Corporation, EDF and GE Renewable Energy have all made commitments to supporting the 2019 World Hydropower Congress.

Closing dinner concludes the 2017 World Hydropower Congress

After the congress officially closed, delegates gathered at the New Intercontinental in Addis Ababa to celebrate at the closing dinner.

The 2017 World Hydropower Congress is took place in Addis Ababa on 9–11 May 2017. Find out more here.

The 2017 World Hydropower Congress took place on 9–11 May in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The congress is a multi-stakeholder forum that brings together leaders and specialists with hydropower-related responsibilities from government, industry, finance, UN agencies, academia and civil society. 

This year the congress was hosted in Africa for the first time, under the theme 'better hydro in an interconnected world'. This short video captures some of the highlights from the United Nations Conference Center.

To find out more about the event you can read about some of the closing commitments, and see pictures and stories from day one, day two and day three.

Maria Van Der Hoeven is the executive director of the International Energy Agency. She spoke with us about hydropower's role in the world's energy future, whether global capacity could be sustainably doubled by 2050, and challenges for governments in developing regionally.

Where do you see hydropower fitting into the world's energy future?

Hydropower is a mature technology and is the largest current source of renewable power in the world. In the medium-term, we expect total hydropower generation to reach 4,670 TWh in 2020, up from around 4 000 TWh today.

Non-OECD countries will account for two-thirds of the output. China alone should account for 27 percent of global hydropower generation by 2020, reaching almost 1,270 TWh.

Earlier this year, the IEA reported that renewables now account for 22 pre cent of the world’s electricity generation, with over £150 billion invested in 2013. However, there is concern that the pace of growth is slowing. What is your opinion about the role of incentives and subsidies?

While many renewables no longer require high economic incentives, they do need long-term policies that continue to provide a predictable and reliable market and regulatory framework compatible with societal goals.

Much greater clarity is needed around decarbonisation and environmental goals to 2030 and beyond. Market design and regulation needs to be improved, particularly in Europe.

Non-OECD countries, in particular, need to focus on removing non-economic barriers, upgrading their grids and pursuing measures to reduce the cost and increase the availability of finance.

With the energy mix changing, how might the role of hydropower evolve in future energy systems?

Over the longer term, given the inherent uncertainties about what happens in the market, and the importance of policies in determining outcomes, the IEA uses a scenario approach based on policy and market assumptions.

Regardless of whether they are large or small, or associated with a reservoir or run-of-river, hydropower projects must be designed and operated to mitigate or compensate for impacts on the environment and local populations."

The IEA’s World Energy Outlook features a scenario that shows what it will take to set the energy system on track to have a 50 per cent chance of keeping the long-term increase in temperatures to no more than 2°C.

In this scenario, hydropower use expands to 6,394 TWh by 2035. However, in a business-as-usual scenario in which nothing really changes, hydropower use only expands to 5,478 TWh by 2035.

This means that I can’t offer you a single, simple, long-term forecast. But what I can say is that if we are going to try to put the world on a more sustainable energy future, then the use of hydropower will have to expand.

Hydropower recently surpassed 1,000 GW of global installed capacity. Two years ago, in a publication Technology Roadmap: Hydropower, the IEA set a course for doubling hydroelectricity output by 2050. Do you think this can be achieved, and which markets do you see as the most important?

As you indicated, each IEA technology roadmap is not a forecast but rather shows what policies would be necessary to get a certain energy technology to a certain level by 2050.

I’d like to hope that we would see a robust increase in hydropower deployment by the middle of this century, and certainly the target in our roadmap is ambitious: more than 7,000 TWh of hydropower generation by 2050.

Obviously much of this would be in developing and emerging economies, which not surprisingly have the highest percentage of undeveloped technical potential.  

Most of the growth that is targeted between now and 2050 would come from large projects in emerging and developing economies. In these countries, large and small hydropower projects can improve access to modern energy services and alleviate poverty, and foster social and economic development – especially for local communities.

With so much untapped hydropower potential in the developing world, and a rapidly growing demand for water and energy services, how can urgent development needs be reconciled with good social and environmental practices?

I must caution that our roadmap does not insist on development of hydropower projects at any cost. Quite the opposite: regardless of whether they are large or small, or associated with a reservoir or run-of-river, hydropower projects must be designed and operated to mitigate or compensate for impacts on the environment and local populations.

The hydropower industry has developed a variety of tools, guidelines and protocols to help developers and operators address the environmental and social issues in a satisfactory manner.

You have a strong background in politics, having served as minister for economic affairs in the Netherlands from 2007 to 2010, and other previous roles. What do you think will be the biggest challenges for governments in the developing world when it comes to developing renewable energy, including hydropower, on a regional scale?

It may sound counterintuitive, but the challenges faced by governments in developing countries when it comes to integrating renewables may actually be less severe than those faced by governments in developed countries. Let me explain.

The shift to greater shares of renewables has been a difficult process in some developed economies and regions – especially Europe – that have an ambitious decarbonisation agenda. In many cases in these countries, demand growth is stagnant, meaning that additional renewables take part of the pie from incumbents with established capacity. This can create economic pressure for traditional players and raises all sorts of thorny questions for policy makers: How can the old, dirty and inflexible assets be retired with priority? When infrastructure retirements become necessary, how will governments handle the distributional effects? Who will pay for stranded assets?

By contrast, developing countries – where demand for electricity is growing quickly – actually have an opportunity to avoid these problems and build a power system designed for the future. In these markets, with smart investments, a flexible system can be built from the very beginning - in parallel with the cost-effective deployment of high shares of variable renewables such as wind and solar. This is a significant opportunity for emerging economies.

For more information about the International Energy Agency, please visit www.iea.org.

This project features in our 'Better hydro: Compendium of case studies 2017', available for download here. 

Key project features

Project stage: operation
Developer/operator: Nam Lik Power Company (NLPC)
Capacity: 100 MW
Annual generation: 485 GWh
Purpose: power generation

Rigorous monitoring of equipment performance, together with an effective maintenance routine, has enabled the Nam Lik 1-2 project to exceed the terms of its power purchase agreement and generation target every year since commissioning. The project demonstrates excellence in asset reliability and maintenance.

Nam Lik 1-2 is located on the main stream of the Nam Lik river, to the north-west of the capital of Laos, Vientiane. The dam is located in the district of Mueng Fueng, and the river flows downstream through the Hin Heup district, where it joins the Nam Xong to form the Nam Ngum. This flows into the Mekong river, downstream of Venetiane. 

The project has an installed capacity of 100 MW, and is equipped with two 50 MW Francis turbines, which are coupled with 58 MVA generators. The turbines and generators were manufactured by the Hangzhou Resource Power Equipment Company, and have a predicted lifespan of 25 years. The main structures of the project are: a reinforced concrete-faced rockfill dam; spillway; flood release tunnel; headrace tunnel; powerhouse; switchyard (located on the top of the powerhouse); and a saddle dam. 

The Nam Lik 1-2 project demonstrates excellence in asset reliability and maintenance."

The project is fully owned by the Nam Lik Power Company (NLPC), which is a joint venture between the China International Water and Electric Corporation (CWE) and Électricité du Laos (EDL). NLPC does not own or operate any other project. CWE owns a 90 per cent share of NLPC and EDL owns 10 per cent. CWE is a subsidiary of the China Three Gorges Corporation, and manages CTG’s overseas investments. 

NLPC and the Lao Committee for Planning and Investment agreed in 2006 to a 25-year build-own-operate-transfer contract. The project was licensed in 2007 and commissioned in July 2010.
Rigorous monitoring of equipment performance, combined with an effective maintenance routine, has enabled the project to exceed the terms of its power purchase agreement and its generation target every year since commissioning.

NLPC undertakes routine monitoring of the condition, availability and reliability of the project assets using automated and manual methods. This approach has helped the company to regularly identify many minor, and some major, asset maintenance and management issues. The company uses a range of operating manuals, procedures and guidelines. Activities revolve around a monthly production meeting where engineers review asset maintenance and safety issues from the previous month and plan the following month’s maintenance. 

Automated measurements support routine monitoring

NLPC undertakes routine monitoring of asset condition using automated and manual methods. Because the project is relatively new, it is equipped with automated asset monitoring and error reporting systems. Every two hours, engineers walk around the plant carrying out routine checks on equipment and recording performance data. Each month, the maintenance department analyses data recorded by the manual inspections and the automated monitoring, and compares performance with the manufacturer’s guidance. This routine monitoring of all equipment allows NLPC to identify any emerging risks. 

In 2012, routine monitoring highlighted overspeed in one of the turbines. This prompted a complete overhaul of the turbine, which would normally not have occurred until planned maintenance in 2017. When an issue is spotted, this triggers a physical investigation and full technical review by NLPC engineers. Engineers also compile incident reports following unexpected events that affect generation, such as a lightning strike in March 2015 and a grid failure in May 2014. They then use this information to prepare for similar events in the future.

Manuals and a monthly process systematise routine monitoring

NLPC uses a range of operating manuals, procedures and guidelines for routine monitoring and maintenance requirements of the operating facility. Two comprehensive manuals set out the 'operation and maintenance procedures' and the 'overhaul procedures', to guide operation and maintenance activities. The manuals cover generating equipment, speed control systems, transformers, distribution equipment, diesel generators, computer monitoring, communication systems, water supply systems, compressed air systems and the spillway gates. They also include procedures to follow when monitoring identifies an emerging risk. 

Each month, NLPC holds a production meeting to review the asset maintenance and safety issues of the previous month, and to plan the following month’s maintenance. The monthly plan allocates tasks and daily activities to individual staff members. NLPC reports to CWE on a monthly basis with a summary of the monitoring results for generation, maintenance and safety.

Asset categorisation enables prioritisation of maintenance

To manage longer term asset replacement, NLPC classifies equipment into three different categories, according to the required frequency of maintenance and replacement. Category A equipment is the responsibility of the operation group and requires replacement every six to eight years. Category B is also the responsibility of the operation group and requires replacement every three to four years. Category C equipment is the responsibility of the maintenance group and requires replacement annually. NLPC has scheduled the first full overhaul of Category A equipment for 2017, and completed the second category B round in 2016. 

NLPC classifies equipment into three different categories, according to the required frequency of maintenance and replacement."

Pre-emptive upgrades ensure optimal condition

Engineers measure the exact level of wear and tear to equipment in their routine monitoring, and determine the optimal time for replacement. NLPC replaces most mechanical assets based on the performance of the equipment rather than its predicted lifespan.

The company also plans to implement efficiency improvements as new technology develops, rather than through a planned long-term programme of upgrades.

There is, however, a long-term programme for electrical assets, requiring replacement and upgrading every seven to eight years, regardless of condition. This is because the engineers believe that technology will improve sufficiently to justify replacement on financial grounds.

Proactive investigation helps identify opportunities for new technology

NLPC’s production team is tasked with investigating areas for improvement in reliability and efficiency, using a number of channels to learn about new technology or research. CWE and CTG send regular updates regarding technological innovations and Chinese regulations on asset performance. The parent companies often send in-house experts to review and advise on emerging issues, such as a review and redesign of the hydrological monitoring system. NLPC employees also have the opportunity to attend CWE and CTG training courses on maintenance. 

Each new investment must be justified on financial grounds. Examples of proposals advanced and implemented by the production team include improvements to the back-up power system, and an enhanced telecommunications system to facilitate better communication internally and with local authorities during bad weather. 

This case study is based on an official assessment of Nam Lik 1-2 using the operation stage tool of the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol. The assessment was carried out in 2015, with an on-site assessment held in April 2015. 

This case study featured in 'Better hydro: Compendium of Case Studies 2017'. You can browse and download the full publication here. 

This short video introduces the role of hydropower in the world today and the future challenges for sustainable development.

The total installed capacity for hydroelectricity has now surpassed 1,000 GW, and there remains vast untapped potentials around the world, especially in developing countries.

In 2013, there was more hydro commissioned than solar and wind energy and experts predict that hydropower capacity could double by 2050 (IEA). Our challenge is to do this sustainably.

The 2017 World Hydropower Congress closed on Thursday 11 May with strong commitments from multiple stakeholders towards delivering better hydro. Here are some of the most notable moments from the final day.

New collection of case studies on sustainable hydropower development unveiled

Better Hydro: Compendium of Case Studies 2017 was officially launched at the closing day of the congress, presenting examples of excellence in specific aspects of sustainable hydropower development. Some of the key people involved in the project are pictured (left to right): Aida Khalil, senior sustainability specialist at IHA; Kimberly Lyon, water resources management analyst at the World Bank Group; Doug Smith; independent consultant; and Cameron Ironside, sustainability director at IHA. You can download the full publication here.

The congress venue: United Nations Conference Center, Addis Ababa

The official venue for the 2017 World Hydropower Congress was the United Nations Conference Center, in Addis Ababa. Delegates gathered in the sunshine at the UN compound for the closing day.

A hydropower project built by the Benedictine Sisters of St Agnes

Sister Yoela Luambano is director of the Tulila hydropower project, constructed by the Benedictine Sisters of St. Agnes in Tanzania. The project supplies power to rural areas in the vicinity of the plant, and delivers important benefits to the local community. Sister Luambano told the project's story to delegates in a session on small-scale energy systems at the congress. A case study of the initiative is featured in Better Hydro: Compendium of Case Studies 2017, which you can download here.

“Isn’t hydropower just the hottest thing in Iceland?”

Ragna Árnadóttir is deputy CEO of Landsvirkjun, the National Power Company of Iceland. Speaking in a session on the benefits of hydropower, she described how hydropower has significantly contributed to Iceland's journey from a poor nation a century ago to one that has a very high standard of living today. Describing the challenges in communicating the benefits, she said: "We have not been able to map out benefits, especially for younger generations, to understand the importance of hydro." Earlier in the week, Landsvirkjun's Blanda hydropower project was awarded the IHA Blue Planet Prize. Watch a short documentary video about the project here.

Bringing together the Francophone hydropower community

The 2017 World Hydropower Congress provided an opportunity to bring together hydropower professionals from Francophone countries to share knowledge and experiences. Christine Cantin, senior advisor at Hydro-Québec and IHA Board member spoke in a special lunchtime session co-convened by the Francophone Institute for Sustainable Development. The 2017 World Hydropower Congress Handbook is available to download in French here.

Archana Agrawal addresses the closing session

Archana Agrawal, joint secretary, Indian Ministry of Power, led the closing session of the congress with a speech describing the “great and ambitious plans for Africa, the rising giant for hydropower” presented at the congress. She said it would be “a great thing” to witness the sustainable energy transformation of the continent. 

Organisations unite with commitments to better hydro

The congress concluded with a series of commitments to better hydro, delivered by a broad range of organisations and institutions that participated in Addis Ababa. You can read about the commitments announced here.

Developing "the right projects, in the right place, in the right way"

The Nature Conservancy was represented by its programme director for Gabon, Marie-Claire Paiz, who described the organisation’s commitment as a “partner to identify and test solutions to clean energy and maintaining healthy rivers”. She reiterated the principle of developing “the right projects, in the right place, in the right way” and described the new tools and approaches being designed to reduce the environmental, social and financial risks at the early stages of hydropower development. 

2019 World Hydropower Congress to be hosted in France

In his closing speech at the United Nations Conference Center, IHA president Ken Adams announced that the 2019 World Hydropower Congress will be hosted in France. He said: “We cannot wait to see you in France in two years so we can continue our journey together.” China Three Gorges Corporation, EDF and GE Renewable Energy have all made commitments to supporting the 2019 World Hydropower Congress.

Closing dinner concludes the 2017 World Hydropower Congress

After the congress officially closed, delegates gathered at the New Intercontinental in Addis Ababa to celebrate at the closing dinner.

The 2017 World Hydropower Congress is took place in Addis Ababa on 9–11 May 2017. Find out more here.

The International Hydropower Association (IHA) is embarking on an ambitious new strategy and work plan to support socially and environmentally responsible hydropower projects.

8535_lores_web.jpg

At its meeting in London, between 20-21 September 2017, the IHA’s newly elected board approved the organisation’s programme of research and activities for the next two years.

The IHA’s reputation as a pioneer in promoting good practices is set to be further strengthened as it develops new guidelines and tools for companies and investors based on the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol.

Twelve topics - including clean energy systems, climate bonds, climate resilience and climate mitigation, water footprint, river basin development, modernisation and sediment management – will form the bedrock of IHA’s research, analysis and capacity-building support to members.

IHA was formed in 1995 to champion sustainable practices within the hydropower sector. Over that time, the world’s installed hydroelectric capacity has almost doubled from 625 GW to 1,246 GW, according to IHA’s Hydropower Status Report.

“Over the next two years I expect IHA to remain the world's leading, go-to organisation on sustainable hydropower development,” said board member Sharbini Suhaili, group chief executive of Sarawak Energy, speaking after the meeting.

Mr Suhaili predicted that hydropower projects which adopt the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Protocol, supported by new guidelines and tools under development, will be “deemed green” by financial institutions and host governments.

Another new board member, Moisés Machava, executive director of Hidroelétrica de Cahora Bassa, said: “In Africa there is huge potential hydropower capacity. The tools that IHA is preparing will be a very important boost around the world. Further capacity-building and performance benchmarking will add value to IHA’s membership.”

At the London board meeting, IHA’s president, Ken Adams, was re-elected as president for a third consecutive term, along with five vice presidents. Read more about the new members joining IHA’s board.

IHA’s 12 research topics for 2017-2019:

• Clean energy systems
• Climate mitigation
• Climate resilience
• Green bonds
• Hydropower benefits
• Hydropower preparation support facility
• Modernisation
• Operations and maintenance
• Regional interconnections
• River basin development
• Sediment management
• Water footprint