China and India lead Asia’s hydropower crunch

• 7 months ago (2023-09-25)
• David Flin

Asia 849 Hydropower 111

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Hydropower generation in Asia has declined at the fastest rate in decades amid sharp declines in China and India, forcing a greater reliance on fossil fuels.

The two countries account for about 75 per cent of Asia’s power generation and most of its emissions.

Many Asian economies have faced power shortages in recent years as a result of extreme weather conditions, including intense heat and lower rainfall over much of northern China and Vietnam, as well as in India’s east and north. Asia’s hydropower output fell 17.9 per cent during the first seven months of 2023, while fossil fuel-fired power generation, mainly coal, rose 4.5 per cent over the same period.

China’s hydropower generation during the first eight months of 2023 fell 15.9 per cent, while India’s fell by 6.2 per cent, making its share of power output just 9.2 per cent, the lowest for at least 19 years. China made up for the hydropower shortfall and higher power demand mainly by increasingly electricity generation from fossil fuels by 6.1 per cent, while India increased fossil fuel-fired output by 12.4 per cent.

Carlos Torres Diaz, Director of Power and Gas Markets for Rystad Energy , said: “Despite a strong growth in solar and wind power generation in Asia, supply from fossil fuel thermal power plants has also increased this year as a result of a large decline in hydropower generation. Intense and prolonged heatwaves across the region have resulted in low reservoir levels and the need for alternative sources of power to help meet demand.”

Hydropower output also plunged in other major Asian economies including Vietnam, the Philippines, and Malaysia. In Vietnam, hydropower’s share of output fell by over 10 per cent through July, while coal’s share grew by about the same amount.