Systematic high-resolution assessment of global hydropower potential.
Population growth, increasing energy demand and the depletion of fossil fuel reserves necessitate a search for sustainable alternatives for electricity generation. Hydropower could replace a large part of the contribution of gas and oil to the present energy mix. However, previous high-resolution estimates of hydropower potential have been local, and have yet to be applied on a global scale. This study is the first to formally present a detailed evaluation of the hydropower potential of each location, based on slope and discharge of each river in the world. The gross theoretical hydropower potential is approximately 52 PWh/year divided over 11.8 million locations. This 52 PWh/year is equal to 33% of the annually required energy, while the present energy production by hydropower plants is just 3% of the annually required energy. The results of this study: all potentially interesting locations for hydroelectric power plants, are available online.
Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
Olivier A C
OA
Hoes
Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.|Witteveen+Bos Raadgevende ingenieurs B.V., Deventer, the Netherlands.
Lourens J J
LJ
Meijer
Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.|Department of Physical Geography, Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
Ruud J
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5450-4333
RJ
van der Ent
Department of Water Management, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Geosciences, Delft University of Technology, Delft, the Netherlands.
Nick C
NC
van de Giesen
D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D016208:Databases, Factual; D005843:Geography; D006801:Humans; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D011210:Power Plants; D059205:Renewable Energy