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EC updates on importance of hydropower and pumped storage in the EU

EC updates on importance of hydropower and pumped storage in the EU

A recent report by the European Commission on hydropower and pumped storage in the European Union “confirms that the EU is a leader in hydropower development, exports, technological innovation and sustainable solutions.”

The report is called: Clean Energy Technology Observatory, Hydropower and Pumped Hydropower Storage in the European Union – 2022 Status Report on Technology Development, Trends, Value Chains and Markets.

According to the report, “In the electricity sector, the intermittent wind power and photovoltaics, and the hydropower sector with its high flexibility and storage capacity, are key and complementary players. Hydropower is a renewable and flexible energy source, and its flexible operation and storage capacity allow to integrate the volatile energy production of wind and solar power plants, ensuring grid stability and ancillary services. Therefore, hydropower plays a key role in the long-term decarbonization scenarios (i.e., the Sustainable Development Scenario and the Net-Zero Emissions Scenario by 2050), contributing to reach the renewable energy targets set in the Renewable Energy Directive (Directive 2009/28/EC, REPowerEU).

On the other hand, barriers (not necessarily for hydropower purposes only, but also for, e.g., irrigation and industrial use) in freshwater systems are perceived as a source of impact in the Water Framework Directive (Directive 2000/60/EC), which is aimed at the preservation or recovery of the “good ecological status” of the aquatic environment.”

The report also found that the EU hosts more than a quarter of the global pumped hydropower storage capacity. It says that research and development should aim at: tapping hidden opportunities in existing facilities, increasing flexibility to better support integration of variable renewables and resilience to climate changes, digitalization and mitigation of environmental impacts.

“Despite the high complexity of the sector and its challenges, hydropower is currently the giant of low-carbon and renewable electricity technologies, with 1,360 GW of global installed capacity and 4,250 TWh/y of electricity generation in 2021. The installed capacity in Europe is 254 GW, with an annual energy generation in 2021 of 620 TWh. European hydropower reservoirs provide a storage capacity of 220 TWh (85 TWh are located in Norway). In the EU, the current hydropower capacity is 151 GW, with an average annual generation of 360 TWh/y, which is the highest share from renewable energy sources, beside wind energy. The EU hosts 44 GW of pumped hydropower storage to store water-energy, that is a quarter of the global installed capacity,” the report said.

This report is an output of the Clean Energy Technology Observatory (CETO). CETO’s objective is to provide an evidence-based analysis feeding the policy-making process and hence increasing the effectiveness of research and innovation policies for clean energy technologies and solutions. It monitors EU research and innovation activities on clean energy technologies needed for the delivery of the European Green Deal and assesses the competitiveness of the EU clean energy sector and its positioning in the global energy market.

CETO is being implemented by the Joint Research Centre (JRC) for DG Research and Innovation, in coordination with DG Energy. The JRC is the EC’s science and knowledge service. It aims to provide evidence-based scientific support to the European policymaking process.