Renewable Energy Fact Sheet

The document describes hydropower as a low-cost energy source providing 20 percent of global electricity and 7-9 percent of US electricity. It details three primary technologies—impoundment, diversion, and pumped storage—and notes that nearly 80 percent of US renewable energy comes from hydropower. While it offers pollution prevention and domestic energy security, the sector faces challenges including federal relicensing barriers, drought-related capacity reductions, and negative impacts on aquatic habitats and land use.

• Hydropower is a significant contributor to electricity generation, providing 20 percent of the world's electricity and 7-9 percent of US electricity. In the United States, it accounts for nearly 80 percent of all renewable energy used.
• The United States has a hydroelectric capacity of approximately 80,000 MW, with an additional 30,000 MW of potential capacity across 5,677 sites. Of this potential, 21,000 MW could be achieved by using more efficient turbines without building new dams. Currently, only 3 percent of the more than 75,000 US dams generate electricity.
• Hydroelectricity is the most affordable electrical power source, costing roughly 0.6 cents per kWh, which is significantly cheaper than nuclear energy or conventional fossil fuels due to minimal capital costs and the absence of fuel costs.
• Federal relicensing processes create barriers for non-federal hydroelectricity plants. Between 1986 and 2001, 246 plants undergoing this process experienced an average annual generation loss of 4.2 percent due to health and environmental regulatory requirements.
• Hydropower has significant environmental drawbacks, including the obstruction of water flow, reduction of oxygen levels, and the creation of physical barriers that kill fish or block migration. Additionally, reservoirs can flood land and force human relocation.

APA

Environmental and Energy Study Institute (2006). Renewable Energy Fact Sheet. https://www.eesi.org/files/hydropower_0506.pdf

Chicago

Environmental and Energy Study Institute. Renewable Energy Fact Sheet. 2006. https://www.eesi.org/files/hydropower_0506.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Environmental and Energy Study Institute |title=Renewable Energy Fact Sheet |date=May 2006 |url=https://www.eesi.org/files/hydropower_0506.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{environmentalandenergystudyinstitute2006renewable, author = {{Environmental and Energy Study Institute}}, title = {{Renewable Energy Fact Sheet}}, institution = {Environmental and Energy Study Institute}, year = {2006}, month = may, url = {https://www.eesi.org/files/hydropower_0506.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }