The Role of Small Hydropower in the EU-27

Brussels, 13 April 2010

Dirk Hendricks, ESHA

ESHA-Hydroaction Seminar Small Hydro Going Smart

� Promotion of the interest of the small hydropower sector in Europe and globally

� Non-profit international organisation, founded in 1989

� Members in EU countries and globally

The European Small Hydropower Association (ESHA)

� Members in EU countries and globally(national associations, research, industry, independent producres, project developers, investors, research community, equipment manufacturers)

� Headquarters ideally located with other RES associations in the Renewable Energy House in Brussels

1. Policy Advice and lobbying

2. Public relations and media activities

ESHA – Key activities

3. Membership services

4. EU co-sponsored projects

� SHAPES - Small Hydro Action for the Promotion of Efficient

Solutions

� HYDROACTION - Methodology on maximising productivity-

cost turbines

EU-sponsored projects

cost turbines

� RURAL-RES - Good practices of mini-hydro in mountain

areas

� CHOICE- Certification procedure for hydropower

� STREAM MAP - Roadmap and central database for SHP

sector

� SoRE – SHP and storage and grid issues

� Supplies over 12 million EU householdes

�41 000 GWh of electricity production

�Over 13 000 MW of installed capacity

�Reduces GHG emissions by 29,000,000 tons per year

� Provides back-up for grid increased volume of

Facts about Small Hydro Power (<10 MW)

� Provides back-up for grid increased volume ofintermittent RE technologies

� Enables use of local energy sources hence

� improving local energy security

�decreasing transport losses

� creating income sources and jobs

� Increased role with CC adaptation (flood prevention and control, irrigation needs)

High energy pay-back ratio*

Plant Yield factor

Small hydro 80-100

Large hydro 100-200

PV 3-5

Solar (thermal) 20-50

* ratio of the quantity of energy produced by an installation duringits lifetime and the energy required manufacturing the installation, its operation and disposal including secondary energy.

Solar (thermal) 20-50

Wind 10-30

1. Italy (21%)

2. France (17.5%),

3. Spain (15.5%),

4. Germany (14%),

5. Austria (9.4%)

Leading SHP EU Countries

5. Austria (9.4%)

6. Sweden (7.7%)

High identified capacities in Romania (3%), Czech Republic (2.4%) and Poland (2.3%)

(% of the total SHP installed capacity in the EU-27)

Leading SHP EU Countries

EU 27 RES Electricity Production

� Establishes a framework for the promotion of renewable energy sourcesin the EU up to 2020

� Sets mandatory national targets for renewable energy sources in final energy consumption and in the transport sector

RES Directive

energy consumption and in the transport sector

� Provides flexibility to MS in meeting the targets: it lays down rules on statistical transfers, joint projects between Member States and withthird countries

� It requires the streamlining of administrative procedures, moreinformation and training on RES and access to the electricity grid forenergy from renewable sources

� Has as key objective to achieve good ecological status(GES) for all surface waters in the EU by 2015. If a Water Body (WB) fails to reach good status as a resultof physical alterations by human activity it can bedesignated as heavily modified or artificial. In thesecases the environmental objective is good ecological

Water Framework Directive

cases the environmental objective is good ecologicalpotential (GEP)

� Regardless of the starting reference point (HMWB ornot HMWB) the measures taken to meet the final objectives of the WFD, imply strong negative effects on small hydro

Policy Framework & Barriers in the EU

� Environmental concerns - ecological impact

� Regulatory barriers – WFD, Eels regulation, Natura 2000, river classification, no go areas

� Administrative barriers – long, costly & complicated

Key barriers to SHP development

� Administrative barriers – long, costly & complicatedlicensing procedures

� Lack of financial incentives and clear regulatoryframework (developing countries)

� Affordable & transparent grid connection

� Negative image

Environment

Environmental Integration - Resistance to SHP

development EU-27 & CC

100%

Visual impact Fishery W ater regulation

Environmental Regulation Competition with other uses Other kinds of resistance

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

AT BE DK FI FR DE EL IE IT LU* NL PT ES SE UK BG CY* CZ EE HU LV LT MT* PL RO SK SI HR MK TR

*Information not available due to too small number SHPP

� Balance between economics and ecology

� Need for further R&D investment to address this balance

� Need for political decision on an integrated approach to

Key challenges

� Need for political decision on an integrated approach to water resource planning

� Balancing the targets of the RES Directive and WFD remains a critical objective for the sector

� New very/low-head small hydropower schemes

� Multi-purpose schemes: electricity production combinedwith flood control, irrigation channels, waste watertreatment and recreational use

� Repowering and upgrading of existing sites

Areas of potential growth

� Repowering and upgrading of existing sites

� Development of storage facilities to revalue other RES such as wind and solar

� Innovative methods of taking advantage of using energyfrom existing sites, for example using reserved flow forelectricity production

� Flood prevention/control increasingly important with CC

� Decrease the barriers for developing

� Measures for fast-track planning procedures & one-stop shops

� Increase public awareness & improve acceptance at

Recommandations for future SHP

� Increase public awareness & improve acceptance at local level

� Support the manufacturing industry by increasing the research� more efficient

� more environmental friendly

� Maintain competativness on international level

Thank you for your attention

dirk.hendricks@esha.be

+32 2 546 1945

Skype: dirk.hendricks