A new report issued this week by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA) says hydropower, which is already the largest source of renewable electricity in the world, must double in capacity if the world is to meet the climate goals outlined in the Paris Agreement by 2050.
The report says installed hydro capacity must reach about 3,000 GW, including 420 GW of pumped storage hydropower (PSH), to keep the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius. “When considering the present installed capacity (1,360 GW), the current pipeline (652 GW), and the potential plant retirements by 2050 (630 GW), capacity additions and/or refurbishments amounting to 1,545 GW will be needed,” it says.
