At a glimpse - Hydropower in Europe
Today, hydropower is the best-proven and most-developed form of electricity generation in Europe.
Across the continent some 278 GW of installed hydropower capacity stands ready to supply energy to Europe’s more than 900 million people, its towns and industries.
Europe’s generally well-developed potential for hydropower schemes suggests limited scope for the introduction of new projects. There are exceptions however. In some regions, for economic or other reasons, new pumped storage and small hydro projects are witnessing sustained growth. Nonetheless, right across Europe the bulk of hydropower industry activity is focused on rehabilitation and uprating of the existing fleet. Changing operational requirements, more stringent environmental standards, and the need for prolonged operational life times for a still better return-on-investment are key points of emphasis today.
Hydropower will continue to be the solid backbone of renewable energy development in Europe – key to the clean energy transition. Flexible, cost-effective, and secure, hydropower is uniquely able to sustainably stabilize the grid and balance variable renewable energy sources like wind and solar. Modern hydropower is building a bridge from the conservative, fossil-driven energy system of the old world and on, to the new carbon-free, zero-emission world of the future – from old to new.
ANDRITZ´contribution to hydropower in Europe
Installed Hydropower Capacity (all countries in alphabetical order)
Albania 2,048 MW | Austria 14,130 MW* | |||
Belarus 96 MW | Belgium 109 MW | |||
Bosnia & Herzegovina 2,196 MW | Bulgaria 3,204 MW* | |||
Croatia 2,117 MW | Czech Republic 1,093 MW | |||
Denmark 9 MW | Estonia 4 MW | |||
Faroe Islands 39,7 MW | Finland 3,241 MW | |||
France 25,517 MW* | Georgia 3,164 MW | |||
Germany 14,782 MW | Greece 3,152 MW | |||
Greenland 91,3 MW | Hungary 61 MW | |||
Iceland 1,984 MW | Ireland 534 MW* | |||
Italy 22,838 MW* | Kazakhstan 2,456 MW | |||
Latvia 1,564 MW | Lithuania 1,028 MW* | |||
Luxembourg 34 MW | Moldova 64 MW | |||
Montenegro 679 MW | Netherlands 38 MW | |||
North Macedonia 676 MW | Norway 31,837 MW | |||
Poland 2,328 MW* | Portugal 7,193 MW* | |||
Romania 6,761 MW | Russia 50,955 MW | |||
Serbia 2,398 MW | Slovakia 2,537 MW | |||
Slovenia 1,329 MW* | Spain 20,360 MW* | |||
Sweden 16,301 MW | Switzerland 15,295 MW* | |||
Turkey 27,273 MW | Ukraine 6,229 MW* | |||
United Kingdom 4,775 MW* |
*Figure includes pumped storage or all capacity of mixed pumped storage plants Source: IHA, Hydropower & Dams World Atlas 2018