IDA blend | Electricity production from hydroelectric sources (% of total)
Sources of electricity refer to the inputs used to generate electricity. Hydropower refers to electricity produced by hydroelectric power plants. Development relevance: Electrical energy from hydropower is derived from turbines being driven by flowing water in rivers, with or without man-made dams forming reservoirs. Presently, hydropower is the world's largest source of renewable electricity. Hydropower represents the largest share of renewable electricity production. It was second only to wind power for new-built capacities between 2005 and 2010. IEA estimates that hydropower could produce up to 6,000 terawatt-hours in 2050, roughly twice as much as today. Hydropower's storage capacity and fast response characteristics are especially valuable to meet sudden fluctuations in electricity demand and to match supply from less flexible electricity sources and variable renewable sources, such as solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power. Use of energy is important in improving people's standard of living. But electricity generation also can damage the environment. Whether such damage occurs depends largely on how electricity is generated. For example, burning coal releases twice as much carbon dioxide - a major contributor to global warming - as does burning an equivalent amount of natural gas. Anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions result primarily from fossil fuel combustion and cement manufacturing. In combustion different fossil fuels release different amounts of carbon dioxide for the same level of energy use: oil releases about 50 percent more carbon dioxide than natural gas, and coal releases about twice as much. Nuclear energy does not generate carbon dioxide emissions, but it produces other dangerous waste products. Limitations and exceptions: IEA occasionally revises its time series to reflect political changes. For example, the IEA has constructed historical energy statistics for countries of the former Soviet Union. In addition, energy statistics for other countries have undergone continuous changes in coverage or methodology in recent years as more detailed energy accounts have become available. Breaks in series are therefore unavoidable. Statistical concept and methodology: Electricity production is total number of kWh generated by power plants separated into electricity plants and CHP plants. The International Energy Agency (IEA) compiles data on energy inputs used to generate electricity. IEA data for countries that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are based on national energy data adjusted to conform to annual questionnaires completed by OECD member governments. In addition, estimates are sometimes made to complete major aggregates from which key data are missing, and adjustments are made to compensate for differences in definitions. The IEA makes these estimates in consultation with national statistical offices, oil companies, electric utilities, and national energy experts.
Publisher
The World Bank
Origin
IDA blend
Records
63
Source
IDA blend | Electricity production from hydroelectric sources (% of total)
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971 31.9407881
1972 33.15076097
1973 32.15348409
1974 34.84642176
1975 33.33526763
1976 35.36322392
1977 34.1615562
1978 35.404157
1979 34.89460756
1980 31.56443859
1981 30.43570887
1982 29.13870064
1983 29.5447373
1984 30.04247484
1985 27.83308215
1986 27.07497412
1987 24.49019222
1988 25.53754501
1989 25.24483813
1990 29.70655068
1991 30.37054617
1992 31.71440668
1993 30.4483821
1994 32.18672266
1995 30.97660086
1996 29.65259697
1997 29.24948042
1998 29.14255337
1999 27.05977414
2000 24.67597912
2001 25.38971347
2002 27.89674294
2003 31.23522954
2004 29.77938465
2005 30.77383102
2006 30.25328408
2007 28.00864933
2008 30.67919182
2009 28.04899421
2010 31.14935238
2011 28.39142996
2012 29.21052654
2013 28.44580657
2014 28.02853609
2015 28.1337944
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
IDA blend | Electricity production from hydroelectric sources (% of total)
Sources of electricity refer to the inputs used to generate electricity. Hydropower refers to electricity produced by hydroelectric power plants. Development relevance: Electrical energy from hydropower is derived from turbines being driven by flowing water in rivers, with or without man-made dams forming reservoirs. Presently, hydropower is the world's largest source of renewable electricity. Hydropower represents the largest share of renewable electricity production. It was second only to wind power for new-built capacities between 2005 and 2010. IEA estimates that hydropower could produce up to 6,000 terawatt-hours in 2050, roughly twice as much as today. Hydropower's storage capacity and fast response characteristics are especially valuable to meet sudden fluctuations in electricity demand and to match supply from less flexible electricity sources and variable renewable sources, such as solar photovoltaic (PV) and wind power. Use of energy is important in improving people's standard of living. But electricity generation also can damage the environment. Whether such damage occurs depends largely on how electricity is generated. For example, burning coal releases twice as much carbon dioxide - a major contributor to global warming - as does burning an equivalent amount of natural gas. Anthropogenic carbon dioxide emissions result primarily from fossil fuel combustion and cement manufacturing. In combustion different fossil fuels release different amounts of carbon dioxide for the same level of energy use: oil releases about 50 percent more carbon dioxide than natural gas, and coal releases about twice as much. Nuclear energy does not generate carbon dioxide emissions, but it produces other dangerous waste products. Limitations and exceptions: IEA occasionally revises its time series to reflect political changes. For example, the IEA has constructed historical energy statistics for countries of the former Soviet Union. In addition, energy statistics for other countries have undergone continuous changes in coverage or methodology in recent years as more detailed energy accounts have become available. Breaks in series are therefore unavoidable. Statistical concept and methodology: Electricity production is total number of kWh generated by power plants separated into electricity plants and CHP plants. The International Energy Agency (IEA) compiles data on energy inputs used to generate electricity. IEA data for countries that are not members of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) are based on national energy data adjusted to conform to annual questionnaires completed by OECD member governments. In addition, estimates are sometimes made to complete major aggregates from which key data are missing, and adjustments are made to compensate for differences in definitions. The IEA makes these estimates in consultation with national statistical offices, oil companies, electric utilities, and national energy experts.
Publisher
The World Bank
Origin
IDA blend
Records
63
Source