Hydropower is the largest source of renewable energy worldwide, and its development is considered essential in driving the energy transition forward. The Collaborative Framework on Hydropower was established as a response to an explicit request from Members to expand the Agency’s work on Hydropower. The Framework seeks to advance priority areas, coordinate concrete actions and foster international collaboration on the topic of hydropower.

The Collaborative Framework will serve as an effective vehicle for international dialogue, co-operation and coordinated action among different stakeholders to ensure the continued deployment of hydropower technologies in benefit of the global renewable energy transformation.

The scope of the Collaborative Framework will be addressed in the form of workstreams aiming to:

• Ensure the continued development of hydropower in a sustainable manner;
• Explore the relevance of hydropower as flexibility provider and enabler for the integration of high shares of variable renewables (VRE);
• Foster the development of business models and market structures that can enable adequate remuneration of services and identify the role of hydropower in climate resilience;
• Advance innovative solutions and operation and maintenance practices.

In previous meetings, Members have agreed on the priority areas of the Collaborative Framework which include: hydropower sustainability; modernisation and refurbishment; flexibility; and policies and market frameworks that appropriately remunerate hydropower.

Members elected Costa Rica and Switzerland as co-facilitators.

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IRENA’s Collaborative Framework on Hydropower Takes Shape