The Remarkable Growth of Hydropower
The global hydropower sector, employing over 2 million people and contributing 17% to the total power generation employment, stands second to solar PV in job creation, as reported by the International Energy Agency (IEA). The Asia Pacific region, with India as a key contributor, hosts more than half of the global hydropower workforce, with the sector witnessing a 6% increase in employment in 2022 spurred by significant new projects.
The construction of new hydropower projects, including a 9 GW plant in Indonesia and a 3.6 GW pumped storage power station in China, has driven employment growth,” the IEA report stated. The IEA’s findings highlight the importance of policy frameworks in shaping the hydropower sector’s trajectory, potentially positioning India and its regional counterparts at the forefront of employment growth in renewable energy, provided there is a move towards more environmentally-aligned energy policies.
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