SMALL HYDRO

The energy resulting from dams is composed of two sectors: small-size and large-size hydraulic power. The boundary separating them is an administrative limit relative to their installed electrical capacity. Capacities lower than 10 MW is the field of small-size hydraulic power. It should be pointed out that this threshold is the one set by the European Commission and that certain countries use different levels to differentiate between large and small size hydraulic installations (this threshold is 12 MW in France, for example). Ideal for electrification of isolated sites, small size hydraulic power plants also contribute to national electric power production when a consumption peak is reached. Resources are very considerable in the European Union where it is estimated that there is still a capacity of nearly 6000 MW which can be installed. It should be underlined that this figure does not take into account the new member countries integrated on May 1st 2004, which means that there's still a lot that can be done in this sector.

Total capacity in service at the end of 2003 for the 15 members of the European Union was estimated at 10734 MW (see table 1). The leading countries in terms of installed capacities are respectively Italy, France, Spain, Germany and Sweden. These five countries alone represent 8752 MW, i.e. 82% of total European Union capacity.

Installed capacity figures have evolved very little over the last few years because, despite the existence of a real potential, any new project clashes almost systematically with local opposition that heavily ways down on the sector's dynamism. Nonetheless, overhaul or renovation operations for already existing sites could create activity since nearly 70% of today's installations are more than 40 year old.

Source: http://europa.eu.int