Advancing Sustainable Hydropower

The role of water storage in modern power systemsMichael Fink, International Hydropower Association (IHA)

World Water Forum V – Session 3.2.3 “Ensuring adequate storage infrastructure to meet agricultural, energy and urban and rural needs”

Istanbul, 20 March 2009

• Non-governmental mutual association of organizations and professionals working or studying in the hydropower sector.

• Founded in 1995, under the auspices of UNESCO, to advance knowledge on all aspects of hydropower and to promote good practice.

Mission: Advancing Sustainable Hydropower

• Vision: Advancing hydropower’s role in meeting the world’s water and energy needs by:

• Championing continuous improvement and sustainable practices

• Building consensus through strong partnerships with other stakeholders

• Driving initiatives to increase the contribution of the renewables sector, especially hydropower.

International Hydropower Association (IHA)

Water challenges

Dams are Multipurpose Infrastructure

Power Generation by Type (17,530 GWh in 2005)

GEOTHERMAL, SOLAR, WIND, BIOMASS

FOSSIL FUELS

HYDROPOWERNUCLEAR

World Growth in Electricity Generation by Type (1980-2006)

Source: IEA 2008

Global role of Hydropower

World Hydropower Production and remaining Potential

Source: World Water Development Report (WWDR), Section 7.4.3, p54

Hydropower contributes to grid stability and stores energyHydropower’s crucial role for energy and water system integration

Pumped-storage cycle

Water storage is energy storage – Hydropower often pays for water storage

5.1 MW hydropower; annual electricity production: 27 million kwh

Andhikhola Rural Electrification Project, Nepal

Enhanced irrigation of an area of 650 ha which benefits 600 local families

Andhikhola Rural Electrification Project, Nepal

• Increasingly compelling case for hydropower to displace fossil fuel development

• Careful assessment required of water resource availability• Climate change is likely to alter river discharge, providing some

regions with more water, and others with less• IPCC study1 cites some country examples and perspectives:

– By the 2070s the electricity production potential of hydropower plants will increase by 15-30% in Scandinavia and Northern Russia.

– Decreases of 20-50% for Spain and Portugal

• Multi-purpose systems provide an opportunity for drought protection and flood mitigation as well as water provision for irrigation and recreation.

1 Bates et al (2008) Climate Change and Water. Technical Paper of the IPCC.

Climate Change Considerations

Offers benefits ofpoverty alleviation,greenhouse reduction,flexibility & reliability, multiple uses, water supply.

The challenge is to ensure sustainably developed and managed projects

Potentially adverse impacts including population displacement and environmental change. High up front costs, long lead times for planning, permitting and construction.

Hydropower and the Sustainable Development Challenge

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2009 2012

IEA Implementing Agreement for Hydropower

World Commission on Dams

UNEP Dams and Development Project Phase 2

IHA Sustainability Guidelines

IHA Sustainability Assessment Protocol

Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum

Sustainable Hydropower Website

IHA Blue Planet Prize

Eugene Green Energy Standard (Europe-based)

Low Impact Hydropower Institute (North America)

CHOICE Project for green hydropower (Europe)

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2009 2012

2011

2011

2008

2008

2010

2010

Phase 1 Phase 2

Phase 1

Timeline of Initiatives

IHA Sustainability Guidelines and Protocol

Adopted in 2004 Adopted in 2006

IHA Sustainability Assessment ProtocolTraining Workshops

Several IHA Sustainability trainings have already taken place worldwide, e.g. in Turkey, USA, Canada, Brazil (2007-2008)

The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum

• The Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum (HSAF) is a collaboration of representatives from different sectors who aim to develop a broadly endorsed sustainability assessment tool to measure and guide performance in the hydropower sector.

• The Forum members are jointly reviewing and recommending enhancements to the IHA Sustainability Assessment Protocol (2006).

• The Protocol was developed as a measuring tool to assess social, environmental and economic performance of hydropower projects and operating facilities against criteria described in the IHA Sustainability Guidelines (2004).

Developing Countries Dr Yu Xuezhong, Institute of Water Resources and

Hydropower Research, PR China Mr Zhou Shichun, China Hydropower Engineering

Consulting Group Co., PR China Mr Israel Phiri, Manager PPI, Ministry of Energy

and Water Development, Zambia

Developed Countries Mr Geir Hermansen, Senior Advisor, Department

of Energy, Norad, Norway Prof Gudni A Johannesson, Director General,

National Energy Authority, Iceland Ms Kirsten Nyman, Policy Advisor for Sustainable

Hydropower, GTZ, Germany (observer)

Hydropower Sector Dr Refaat Abdel-Malek, President, International

Hydropower Association Mr Andrew Scanlon, Coordinating Author, IHA

Sustainability Assessment Protocol

NGOs - Environmental Aspects Mr David Harrison, Senior Advisor, Global

Freshwater Team, The Nature Conservancy Dr Joerg Hartmann, Lead, Dams Initiative,

World Wildlife Fund

NGOs - Social Aspects Mr Michael Simon, Lead, Development

Banks/NRM, Oxfam Dr Donal O’Leary, Water Sector Specialist,

Transparency International

Finance Sector - Economic Aspects Ms Courtney Lowrance, Environmental

Specialist, Equator Principles Financial Institutions Group

Ms Daryl Fields, Senior Water Resources Specialist, World Bank (observer)

Forum Chair Mr André Abadie, Sustainable Finance Ltd.

The members of the Hydropower Sustainability Assessment Forum comprise representatives of developed and developing countries, environmental and social NGOs, commercial and development banks and the hydropower sector, with membership guided by the common efforts of IHA, WWF and TNC.

Forum Membership

IHA Congress: 22-26 June 2009 in Reykjavik, Iceland

Registration: www.hydropower.org

(Partners from IHA Congress 2007)

Thank you for your attention!

www.hydropower.org

Contact details:

Michael Fink, Programme DirectorInternational Hydropower Association

IHA Central Office (Fifth Floor, West)Nine Sutton Court RoadLondon Borough of SuttonSM1 4SZ - United Kingdom

Tel: +44 208 652 5290Email: michael.fink@hydropower.org