China leads new hydropower capacity in 2024

Other Asian countries in the list were Bhutan and Pakistan

China remained at the top for new hydropower development, adding 14.4 gigawatts (GW) of capacity in 2024.

According to the latest World Hydropower Outlook, the International Hydropower Association (IHA) said over half of Beijing’s additional capacity was pumped storage, putting the country on track to exceed its 120 GW target by 2030.

Aside from China, Bhutan and Pakistan were also amongst the top five countries for newly installed hydropower capacity in 2024.

Meanwhile, Africa more than doubled its 2023 capacity additions with over 4.5GW brought online in 2024. Private developers are leading a new wave of capacity.

Hydropower output also surged in Europe, driven by exceptional rainfall, leading to a decade-high of 680 terawatt-hours (TWh).

“A clear business case for pumped storage is emerging, supported by a European project pipeline of 52.9 GW in development. Of this, 3 GW is under construction and 6.7 GW has already received regulatory approval,” IHA said.

Overall, global hydropower grew 10% to 4,578 terawatt-hours in 2024 in terms of generation. Global capacity also added  24.6 GW last year.