Least developed countries: UN classification | 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
Least developed countries: UN classification
Records
63
Source
Least developed countries: UN classification | Electricity production from hydroelectric sources (% of total)
1960
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971 52.83774837
1972 58.15478442
1973 58.13786387
1974 61.58948513
1975 62.68302582
1976 64.32244947
1977 64.53881592
1978 63.42471638
1979 62.53568182
1980 62.98247744
1981 62.82886548
1982 61.73478762
1983 60.16349429
1984 58.98103067
1985 57.44103971
1986 56.18042071
1987 53.02707362
1988 51.78157728
1989 52.33221533
1990 51.38991384
1991 50.47148032
1992 48.18277427
1993 48.18962348
1994 47.10183939
1995 44.52551139
1996 44.058008
1997 41.728882
1998 45.3173236
1999 44.44894584
2000 45.18450674
2001 46.02766253
2002 45.66679255
2003 43.58638048
2004 41.20703927
2005 41.39431982
2006 40.88191971
2007 40.80670252
2008 39.08646112
2009 40.056317
2010 40.88708828
2011 41.4739617
2012 39.0792357
2013 38.86795938
2014 38.70680567
2015 37.07298179
2016
2017
2018
2019
2020
2021
2022
Least developed countries: UN classification | 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
Least developed countries: UN classification
Records
63
Source