Global Electricity Generated by Hydropower Hit Hard by Severe Droughts

 Last year's low rainfall pushed global hydropower production to its lowest level since 2000. This year, heat waves and droughts are expected to decrease further as they spread across China, the United States and Europe. According to the Global Electricity Review 2022 by Ember, an independent energy and environmental think tank, clean energy will account for 38% of global electricity by 2021, of which 15% will be hydro.

China
Since 2000, two-thirds of global hydropower growth has occurred in China, home to five of the world's top 10 hydropower plants. Hydroelectric power generation in Sichuan, China has been severely affected by extreme drought and extremely high temperatures this summer. Summer is usually flood season in Sichuan Province. According to data compiled by CITIC Construction Securities, the average rainfall in Sichuan between July 1 and August 10 was about 50 percent lower than the historical average. The water level in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River was significantly lower than that of the reservoir.

In July and August, the average flow flowing into the Three Gorges Reservoir, the world's largest hydroelectric dam, was down 34 percent from the same period last year and 46 percent from three years ago. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
In the United States, 33% of regions experienced severe drought in July.

California experienced a severe drought in the first quarter of this year, making 2022 California's driest year on record. In August, 17% of the state experienced moderately dry conditions.

U.S. The Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported in June that California's reservoir water levels were well below historical averages this summer due to a drought, and hydroelectric power will be cut in half. Increase in natural gas flow production. California's two largest reservoirs, Lake Shasta and Lake Oroville, are currently at very low levels, according to the EIA report.

The water level in Lake Shasta is only 48% of the historical average, while the water level in Oroville is 67% of the historical average. Hydro generated 19 percent of California's electricity production in 2019 and 2020, according to the California Energy Commission, but hydropower has dropped to 11 percent due to high temperatures and drought, and may even drop further.

Europe
In Europe, the European Commission's Joint Research Center (JRC) has warned that Europe is facing its worst drought in 500 years, which is expected to have a significant impact on hydropower production. According to data from the European Drought Observatory, many parts of Europe will experience "warning" or "alert" drought levels this summer.

At the end of August, the so-called "Battery of Europe" reservoir in southwestern Norway was already half empty, and the reservoir in eastern Norway was at its lowest level in 20 years. Norway's reservoirs currently generate very little electricity, and Norway is expected to impose restrictions on electricity exports during the winter.

 

Read more: https://www.theepochtimes.com/global-electricity-generated-by-hydropower-hit-hard-by-severe-droughts_4706106.html

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