Hydropower: Needs, challenges and opportunities

Many parts of the world are in desperate need of water and energy to increase food production, improve living conditions and support economic development. Hydropower inherently contributes in an important way towards increasing water supplies. Large resources remain undeveloped, in particular in the developing countries. Relevant data are presented and comparisons made between industrialized and developing countries. The growing importance of pumped storage and small hydro is illustrated. Impacts of hydropower projects are introduced without elaborating on threats to water supplies and environmental and social aspects. Future directions of hydropower are discussed with emphasis on multipurpose development and the need for water resource management. Constraints on the construction of new projects are identified. It is concluded that storage of large additional quantities of water is essential, because conservation and increased efficiencies are not sufficient in the long run. Man cannot do without dams.