Eurelectric-VGB │Hydropower - Fact sheets

Hydropower plays a major role in meeting Europe’s ambitious energy transition goals. In particular, it complements the increasing share of variable renewables in the European power system. Such a system, with large deployments of wind and solar, requires sufficient flexibility, firm capacity and the ability to balance variable generation. Hydropower has all these capabilities.

Brand-new Hydropower Fact Sheets Launched

  • Hydropower plays a major role in meeting Europe’s ambitious energy transition goals.
  • Hydropower Fact Sheets outline capabilities, challenges and key figures including policy recommendations.

Hydropower plays a major role in meeting Europe’s ambitious energy transition goals. In addition to providing a large share of EU renewables (RES) capacity, it complements the increasing share of variable renewables in the European power system. As the EU power sector accelerates its transition, the need for flexibility, firm capacity and the ability to balance variable generation increases – this is where hydropower delivers. As these as well as other capabilities provided by hydropower are often underestimated, Eurelectric and VGB PowerTech have developed hydropower fact sheets including policy recommendations. These fact sheets were launched at a high-level event in the European Parliament in Brussels, hosted by Angelika Mlinar, MEP.

Hydropower Fact Sheets

The Hydropower Fact Sheets consist of seven single fact sheets including policy recommendations:

  • At the heart of the renewable energy transition
  • More than power generation
  • Enhancing EU security of supply and system stability
  • The most efficient power generation technology
  • Contributing to Europe´s economy and innovation
  • A reliable and sustainable partner to tackle climate change
  • Providing flexibility and storage for tomorrow’s renewable power system
Facts of Hydropower in the EU

The leaflet Facts of Hydropower in the EU includes facts and data on the following topics:

  • Shares of hydropower capacity and generation in the EU-28
  • Maps of installed capacities and gross electricity genera-tions of hydropower in EU + Switzerland + Norway + Iceland
  • Technical feasible hydropower potential in the EU + Switzerland + Norway + Iceland
  • Hydropower´s contribution to reaching the EU climate objectives
  • Hydropower offers a wide range of ancillary services
  • Hydropower is highly flexible, operating at all timescales