Small Hydropower Fact Sheet Energy

Small Hydropower Offering high quality energy for Europe

The European Small Hydropower Association (ESHA) is a federation of European national hydropower associations as well as members from all sectors of the hydropower field, such as equipment manufacturers, public utilities, independent producers, research institutes, investors, industry and consultants.

ESHA represents the interests of the (small) hydropower sector by promoting the benefits and opportunities of hydropower (a mature renewable energy technology) at EU level.

Contact & Info: European Small Hydropower Association Renewable Energy House Rue d’Arlon, 63-65 1040 Brussels (Belgium) www.esha.be - info@esha.be +32 2 400 10 67

Did you know?

In general, small hydropower (SHP) stands for a plant with an installed capacity of up to 10 MW. With 13,000 MW of total installed capacity in EU27, SHP currently supplies enough electricity for 13 million households.

SHP contributes to around 8% of electricity production within the renewable energy mix.

SHP is one of the most efficient, reliable and cost-effective methods to generate electricity.

SHP provides steady, secure and local electricity.

SHP – through small pumped-hydro plants – can support the penetration of variable RES technologies (e.g. wind, solar), i.e. indirectly favours their deployment in decentralised areas.

SHP has a large development potential. If the current policy framework is changed, new SHP could annually produce additional 50 TWh in the EU-27. There is also a considerable potential for refurbishment of older and abandoned SHP sites.

Current challenges European and national environmental policies often overlook the contribution of SHP to renewable energy production. There is a lack of consistency between environmental policies and the European Renewable Energy Directive.

Recommendations European and national policy makers must consider SHP as an equally important component of the renewable energy mix.

More consensus and cooperation is needed in Europe between the energy and environmental policies and actors.

Decentralisation of energy production should be supported by granting an effective primary access of SHP to the grid, allowing for net-billing (payment for actual electricity sent to the grid) or/and authorising SHP producers to directly sell electricity to third parties.

More research funds should be allocated to SHP development, in particular concerning low head technologies, (pumped hydro) storage and grid access.

SHP faces many administrative barriers to decentralised renewable energy production.

The licensing procedure for the sector is currently an extremely time consuming, highly bureaucratic procedure and with too many uncertainties. Sometimes national measures challenge effective access to the grid.

Small Hydropower Offering high quality energy for Europe

SHP potential to produce flexible energy solutions is overlooked (storage, pumped-hydro).