2026-07-01http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/410159Worldwide, hydropower is a crucial power supply option for several reasons. First, it is a renewable energy resource that can contribute to sustainable development by generating local, typically inexpensive power. Second, hydropower reduces reliance on imported fuels that carry the risks of price volatility, supply uncertainty and foreign currency requirements. Third, hydro systems can offer multiple co-benefits including water storage for drinking and irrigation, drought-preparedness, flood control protection, aquaculture and recreational opportunities, among others. Finally, hydro can allow more renewables, especially wind and solar, to be added to the system by providing rapid-response power when intermittent sources are off-line, and pumped energy storage when such sources are generating excess power. For more publications on IFC Sustainability please visit www.ifc.org/sustainabilitypublications.application/pdftext/plainCC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGOhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo/International Finance CorporationAQUATIC HABITATSROTATIONAL SPEEDEMPLOYMENTVERTICAL AXISPOWER GRIDPOWER PLANTSBIRDSCARBON DIOXIDEFOSSIL FUELSPLANT RELIABILITYAIR QUALITYRENEWABLE ENERGY PROGRAMBATTERY CHARGERSGREENHOUSE GAS EMISSIONSPOWER STATIONTURBINE BLADESPOWER STATIONSELECTRIC GENERATORACTIVITIESRENEWABLE ENERGY PROJECTSGENERATIONDEMAND FOR POWERCOST OF ELECTRICITYENERGY SOURCEWINDCOSTS OF ELECTRICITYEMISSIONSENVIRONMENTAL ISSUESGAS PRICETHERMAL POWER PLANTSBATTERIESPLANT OPERATIONENERGY GENERATIONGASPRICEPEAK DEMANDSOLAR PROJECTSVOLTAGETURBINE EFFICIENCYTURBINE DESIGNPOWER SYSTEMGREENHOUSE GASELECTRIC UTILITYOXYGENBIOMASSAMOUNT OF POWERGENERATION CAPACITYPETROLEUMCLIMATIC CONDITIONSGENERATOR UNITSOILHYDROELECTRIC POWER PLANTTRANSMISSION FACILITIESPOWER GENERATIONHYDROELECTRIC POWER GENERATIONRENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCEAIR EMISSIONSENERGY SOURCESSUSTAINABLE ENERGYPOWER SECTORTHERMAL PLANTSRENEWABLE SOURCEENERGY STRATEGIESENERGY SUPPLYELECTRIFICATIONOPTIONSWATERENERGY RESOURCESSANDPOWER GENERATORSHYDRO PLANTACCESS ROADSCAPACITY FACTORAUXILIARY EQUIPMENTELECTRICITY SUPPLYNOZZLESPOLLUTIONGRID CONNECTIONPEAK POWERSOLAR ENERGYHYDRO POWER PLANTSFUELSTHERMAL POWERPOWER PLANT CONSTRUCTIONPEAK POWER GENERATIONGREENHOUSE GASESCARBON EMISSIONSEMISSIONS REDUCTIONSKINETIC ENERGYTURBINEEMISSIONPEAK LOADENERGY OUTPUTPOWER DEMANDTURBINE ∗η GENERATORGRID CONNECTIONSTURBINE COMPONENTSRENEWABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIESCLIMATE CHANGEELECTRIC POWERBALANCESOURCE OF ENERGYELECTRIC POWER GENERATIONLOAD FACTORENERGY ALTERNATIVESHYDRO POWERUTILITIESENERGY NEEDSGRID INTEGRATIONPOWERELECTRICITY SALESELECTRICITYENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTSBUFFER ZONESHYDROPOWERPOLLUTANTSELECTRICITY GENERATIONPOWER LINESFOSSIL FUELCLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATIONGEOLOGICAL CONDITIONSTRANSMISSION SYSTEMPOWER AVAILABILITYHYDROPOWER PLANTENERGY PRODUCTIONPOWER PRODUCTIONTURBINESELECTRICITY PRICESACCESS TO ELECTRICITYENERGY DEMANDBURNING FOSSIL FUELSNATURAL GASENERGY LOSSESHYDROELECTRIC POWERTURBULENCETRANSMISSION LINEINVESTMENTELECTRICITY PRICEPOWER CAPACITYCOALTARIFFZERO NET PRESENT VALUEDISTRIBUTION NETWORKFUELPEAK DEMAND PERIODSDRILLINGFUEL OILPOWER SECTOR PLANNINGPOLLUTION CONTROLAVAILABILITYFACILITIESPRESSURE RISEHYDROPOWER GENERATIONRURAL ELECTRIFICATIONINVESTMENTSMETHANERENEWABLE SOURCE OF ENERGYCAPACITY FACTORSTAX PAYMENTSRENEWABLE ENERGYELECTRICITY DISTRIBUTIONGASESTURBINE GENERATORSELECTRICITY PRODUCTIONDIESELEVAPORATIONRENEWABLE ENERGY MARKETPLANT EFFICIENCYCOMPRESSED AIRFOSSILTRANSMISSION LINESPRICESAPPROACHPOWER PLANTENERGYTHERMAL CAPACITYWorking Paper